JP7734915B2 - Medicine packaging machine - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a medicine packaging machine that stores various types of tablets and automatically dispenses and packages the desired tablets according to prescriptions and dispensing instructions. More specifically, this invention relates to a medicine packaging machine that has multiple tablet feeder storage compartments installed in a housing that can each be pulled out from the housing.
More specifically, this invention relates to a pharmaceutical packaging machine that is equipped with an upper tablet collecting mechanism incorporated into the tablet feeder storage cabinet, a lower tablet collecting mechanism provided below the upper tablet collecting mechanism, and a temporary storage mechanism located between the two mechanisms.

Medication packaging machines that handle various types of tablets (medication) are required to keep the tablet drop path (path through which the medication falls and is collected) as clean as possible. Measures to reduce the burden of maintaining the necessary cleanliness include making the machine more resistant to contamination by reducing the amount of dust generated from the collected medication in the first place, and making cleaning easier by making it possible to quickly remove any dust that does occur.

To give a specific example, in the packaging device located at the bottom of the tablet drop path (see, for example, Patent Document 1), in addition to the input hopper that receives the medicine dropped from the lower tablet collection mechanism, almost all of the components, such as the packet supply mechanism, packet feed mechanism, packet printing mechanism, and packet sealing mechanism, are mounted on a removable base member and are exposed to the front from the housing as the base member is pulled out.
This makes the packaging device easy to clean and reduces the burden of maintaining a clean state.

In addition, there are also models in which the upper tablet collection mechanism incorporated into the tablet feeder storage unit is split vertically into left and right halves together with the tablet feeder storage unit, so that each half can be pulled out forward from the housing (see, for example, Patent Documents 2 and 3), and there are also models in which the tablet feeder storage unit pulled out forward can be swung to widen the vertically split part of the upper tablet collection mechanism (see, for example, Figure 2 of Patent Document 4).
These medicine packaging machines can be easily cleaned by exposing the tablet drop surface of the upper tablet collection mechanism in front of the housing, reducing the burden of maintaining a clean state.

Furthermore, in a pharmaceutical packaging machine in which a temporary storage mechanism is attached to the lower end of such an upper tablet collection mechanism (see, for example, Figure 1 of Patent Document 2 and Figure 4 of Patent Document 3), the tablet drop surface of the temporary storage mechanism can be easily cleaned by pulling the temporary storage mechanism forward from the housing along with the upper tablet collection mechanism to expose the tablet drop surface in front of the housing, thereby reducing the burden of maintaining a clean state. Since pairs of tablet feeder storage cabinets and upper tablet collection mechanisms are usually arranged in multiple rows, the temporary storage mechanism is also divided into multiple single-row storage mechanisms, and each single-row storage mechanism is attached one-to-one below the upper tablet collection mechanism.

In these single-row storage mechanisms (temporary storage mechanisms), square or rectangular plates are used for the front and rear plates as well as the left and right side plates, and all of the plates are vertical plates that are almost vertical (see, for example, Figure 4 of Patent Document 2 and Figure 8 of Patent Document 3).
In addition, in these single-row storage mechanisms (temporary storage mechanisms), the support shaft of the oscillating plate that opens and closes the tablet drop path can be switched between engagement and disengagement with the rear drive mechanism, and although there is some play in the engaged state, the end of the shaft remains inserted into the long hole (see, for example, Figure 5(a) of Patent Document 2 and Figure 8(a) of Patent Document 3).

In addition, the front and rearmost portions of the lower end of the upper tablet collecting mechanism are tilted to give the lower end of the upper tablet collecting mechanism a tapered shape (see, for example, Figure 4 of Patent Document 2 and Figure 4 of Patent Document 3), and the front-to-rear length of the temporary storage mechanism is shortened. Furthermore, the drive mechanism is positioned rearward of the temporary storage mechanism and rearward of the upper end of the lower tablet collecting mechanism. Therefore, when the tablet feeder storage is pulled forward, the upper tablet collecting mechanism and temporary storage mechanism also move forward, ensuring space directly above the lower tablet collecting mechanism.

As a result, this medicine packaging machine requires little effort to maintain a clean state. If the side panels of the housing are removed while ensuring space directly above the lower tablet collection mechanism as described above, or if space is maintained directly above the lower tablet collection mechanism even after the side panels are removed, the fixed chute (first drop collection section), which corresponds to the uppermost part of the lower tablet collection mechanism, can be cleaned relatively easily from the side.

There is also a medicine packaging machine in which a manual medicine dispensing device is arranged in front of the lower tablet collection mechanism, and when dispensing medicine manually, the manual medicine dispensing device is pulled forward from the housing, and after dispensing, the manual medicine dispensing device is pushed back into the housing (see, for example, Figure 1 of Patent Document 5).
In this medicine packaging machine, the lower tablet collection mechanism (see, for example, Figures 4 to 6 of Patent Document 5) is mainly made up of a cylindrical body with a tapered bottom, and is equipped with a fixed chute (first falling collection section) that is fixedly installed in a manner that penetrates the horizontal plate etc. vertically inside the housing and collects to a certain extent the medicines that have fallen from the multiple temporary storage mechanisms, an accumulation chute (second falling collection section) installed below that, and a gathering chute (third falling collection section) installed further below that.

The accumulation chute (second falling collection section) is also mainly composed of a cylindrical body with a tapered bottom, and is designed to further collect the medicine that has fallen from the fixed chute (first falling collection section) immediately above it toward the center.
The collection chute (third falling and collecting section) is also mainly made up of a cylindrical body with a tapered bottom, but it is designed to merge and collect the medicine that has fallen from the accumulation chute (second falling and collecting section) and the medicine that has fallen and been discharged from the manual medicine distribution device.

As a result, when the manual medicine distribution device is pushed into the housing (see, for example, Figure 4 of Patent Document 5), the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) is positioned below the fixed chute (first drop collection section) and the collection chute (third drop collection section) is positioned below the accumulation chute (second drop collection section), so that not only the medicines discharged from the tablet feeder but also the medicines discharged from the manual medicine distribution device are all fed into the feeding hopper of the packaging device.

In addition, with this medicine packaging machine, when the manual medicine dispensing device is pulled forward from the housing (see, for example, Figure 5 of Patent Document 5), the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) and the gathering chute (third drop collection section) are pulled forward as well. By exposing the tablet drop surface of the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) in front of the housing, it can be easily cleaned, making it relatively easy to keep the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) clean.

Furthermore, with this medicine packaging machine, when the manual medicine distribution device is pulled out from the housing, the accumulation chute (second falling collection section) and the manual medicine discharge chute of the manual medicine distribution device can be slid backward together, thereby opening the top of the accumulation chute (third falling collection section) (see, for example, Figure 6 of Patent Document 5).
Therefore, the collecting chute (third falling collection section) can also be cleaned by exposing its tablet falling surface between the housing and the manual medicine distribution device.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-216485 JP 2013-078525 A JP 2013-085666 A Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-196709 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2019-216991 Patent Application No. 2021-063585 (filed) JP 2021-069338 (Application)

However, under such conventional structures, the exposed state of the accumulation chute (second falling collection section) and the collecting chute (third falling collection section) that are pulled out of the housing in conjunction with the manual drug distribution device is easy to clean considering that they are components installed at the rear of the manual drug distribution device, but it is not comparable to the upper tablet collection mechanism and temporary storage mechanism described above.
In particular, with the collection chute (third falling collection section), it is not easy to reach over the manual drug distribution device from the front, where the rear end of the manual drug distribution device is almost obscuring the tablet falling surface, and it is not easy to visually check the cleaning results from the front, even compared to the accumulation chute (second falling collection section).

Furthermore, cleaning the tablet drop surface of the collection chute (third drop collection section) from the side, as in the temporary storage mechanism, is not easy because it requires weaving through the gap between the medicine manual distribution device and the housing. More specifically, since it requires weaving through the gap between the rear end of the pulled-out medicine manual distribution device and the front of the housing, which is large in height and width, or the manual distribution medicine discharge chute moved thereto, considerable care is required to avoid damaging the medicine manual distribution device, which has a complex and delicate structure, or touching the operating members on the front of the housing.
Therefore, in order to further reduce the burden of maintaining the cleanliness of the collection chute and accumulation chute of the lower tablet collection mechanism, the technical challenge is to improve the structure of related parts such as the holding mechanisms of both chutes so that cleaning work on the tablet drop surfaces of both chutes can be carried out easily and accurately.

The medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 1) was invented to solve these problems,
a plurality of upper tablet collecting mechanisms attached to the tablet feeder housings and guiding tablets discharged from the tablet feeders downward to cause them to fall; a lower tablet collecting mechanism provided below the tablet feeder housings and collecting tablets dropped from the upper tablet collecting mechanism and dropping them downward; a packaging device provided below the lower tablet collecting mechanism and packaging the tablets dropped from the lower tablet collecting mechanism into packaging bands; and a medicine manual dispensing device provided in front of the lower tablet collecting mechanism and removable forward from the housing, wherein the lower tablet collecting mechanism is provided with an accumulation chute behind the medicine manual dispensing device that accumulates tablets dropped from the upper tablet collecting mechanism, and a collecting chute that collects and drops tablets dropped from the accumulation chute and tablets dropped from the medicine manual dispensing device,
The accumulation chute is adapted to be pulled forward from the housing in conjunction with the forward pulling out of the housing of the drug manual distribution device, and an accumulation chute support member for detachably supporting the accumulation chute is erected at the rear of the drug manual distribution device, and the accumulation chute is attached to the accumulation chute support member with the upper end of the accumulation chute resting on the upper end of the accumulation chute support member.

The medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 2) is the medicine packaging machine of Solution 1 above, characterized in that a recess that can be placed on the side of the upper end of the accumulation chute allows for fingertip placement.

Furthermore, the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 3) is the medicine packaging machine of Solutions 1 and 2 above, characterized in that a collection chute support member that detachably supports the collection chute is provided behind the medicine manual distribution device, and the collection chute is pulled forward from the housing in conjunction with the forward pulling of the medicine manual distribution device from the housing.

The medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 4) is the medicine packaging machine of Solution 3 above, characterized in that when the manual medicine distribution device is pulled forward from the housing and the accumulation chute is detached from the accumulation chute support member, the collecting chute is able to move away from the manual medicine distribution device to a rear position where it can be lifted, but when the manual medicine distribution device is pulled forward from the housing and the accumulation chute is attached to the accumulation chute support member, the range of rear movement of the collecting chute is limited.

The medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 5) is the medicine packaging machine of Solution 4 above, characterized in that it is provided with a collecting chute biasing means that pulls the collecting chute forward when the collecting chute is attached to the collecting chute support member and the backward movement of the collecting chute is restricted.

The medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 6) is a medicine packaging machine according to Solutions 3 to 5 above, characterized in that a handle member that can be gripped by a fingertip is attached to the upper end surface of the collecting chute.

In this type of medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 1), when the manual medicine dispensing device is pulled forward from the housing, the accumulation chute (second falling and collecting section) that comes out of the housing can be removed. This makes it possible to easily and accurately clean the tablet drop surface of the accumulation chute, and by utilizing the increased space created by removing the accumulation chute, it is also possible to easily and accurately clean the tablet drop surface of the lower collection chute (third falling and collecting section).

Furthermore, when making the accumulation chute (second falling collection section) detachable, an accumulation chute support member is provided that stands up at the rear of the chemical manual distribution device so that the accumulation chute (second falling collection section) can be attached and detached at the upper end of the accumulation chute (second falling collection section).This makes it easy and quick to attach and detach the accumulation chute (second falling collection section) by looking down from above, and ultimately makes it easy and quick to clear the space behind the chemical manual distribution device to provide working space for the accumulation chute (third falling collection section).
Therefore, according to the present invention, the burden of maintaining the accumulation chute and the collecting chute of the lower tablet collecting mechanism in a clean state can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 2), a recess that can be placed over the fingertips is formed on the side of the upper end of the accumulation chute (second drop collection section), which prevents the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) from undesirably extending upward, while reducing the manual labor required when attaching and detaching the accumulation chute.

Furthermore, in the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 3), when the manual medicine distribution device is pulled forward from the housing, the collection chute (third falling and collecting section) at the rear of the manual medicine distribution device is also pulled forward from the housing and can be removed from the collection chute support member at the rear of the manual medicine distribution device. This means that cleaning of the tablet drop surface of the collection chute (third falling and collecting section) can be done more easily and accurately, as it is free from interference with the manual medicine distribution device and the housing.

Furthermore, in the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 4), even if the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) and the collecting chute (third drop collection section) are made detachable to facilitate cleaning, etc., the order in which they can be attached and detached is limited, thereby maintaining dense packaging without compromising it. Furthermore, when both chutes are attached, the rearward movement range of the collecting chute (third drop collection section) is limited by the accumulation chute (second drop collection section), eliminating the need for screwing or other work to completely fix the positional relationship between the medicine manual distribution device and the collecting chute (third drop collection section).

Furthermore, in the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 5), when attaching the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) to the accumulation chute support member, the collecting chute (third drop collection section) is gently moved manually toward the front medicine manual distribution device to clear the space behind the collecting chute (third drop collection section). However, when the collecting chute (third drop collection section) approaches the front medicine manual distribution device, it is pulled toward the medicine manual distribution device by the collecting chute biasing means and positioned by abutting against an appropriate member. This ensures that the relative positions of the collecting chute (third drop collection section) and the medicine manual distribution device are fixed and stable, and the work of attaching the accumulation chute (second drop collection section) to the accumulation chute support member can be carried out smoothly because the collecting chute (third drop collection section) does not get in the way.

Furthermore, even if the momentum of the collecting chute moves backwards away from the chemical manual distribution device due to inertia when the chemical manual distribution device is moved backwards and stored inside the housing, the distance of separation is so small that it can be affected by the collecting chute biasing means, and the relative positions of the collecting chute (third falling collection section) and the chemical manual distribution device are quickly restored.
Therefore, even if the work of fixing the position of the collecting chute (third falling collection section) is simplified, the collecting chute continues to remain in the appropriate position.

Furthermore, in the medicine packaging machine of the present invention (Solution 6), when the collection chute (third drop collection section) is made detachable, a handle member that can be hooked with the fingertips is attached to the upper end surface of the collection chute (third drop collection section). This makes it easy and quick to attach and detach the collection chute (third drop collection section), which is located deep in the intermediate space between the medicine manual distribution device and the housing and requires looking directly down from directly above.

1A and 1B are front and left side views, respectively, showing the structure of a medicine packaging machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention. (a) is a left side view of the medicine packaging machine with the tablet feeder housing pulled out, (b) is an AA cross-sectional view of the tablet feeder housing, and (c) and (d) are AA cross-sectional views of the temporary storage mechanism. (a) is a composite view of the left side view of the medicine packaging machine and the B-B cross-sectional view of the tablet feeder storage unit pulled out from it, (b) is a CC cross-sectional view of the B-B cross-section of the tablet feeder storage unit, and (c) and (d) are A-A cross-sectional views of the temporary storage mechanism. 1A to 1C are a plan view, a front view, and a vertical cross-sectional view of a single-row temporary storage mechanism and its drive mechanism. 1A is a plan view of a double-row temporary storage mechanism, its drive mechanism, and a transmission link mechanism, and FIGS. 1B and 1C are front views of the link mechanism. FIG. 1A is a left side view of the medicine packaging machine with the tablet feeder housing pulled out, and FIG. 1B is a sectional view taken along the line DD. (a) is a left side view of the medicine packaging machine with the medicine manual distribution device etc. stored in the housing, and (b) is a left side view of the medicine packaging machine with the medicine manual distribution device pulled out of the housing. (a) is an oblique view of a medicine packaging machine with the accumulation chute pulled out together with the medicine manual distribution device, (b) is an oblique view of the accumulation chute and its surroundings, and (c) is a side view of the accumulation chute, collection chute, and medicine manual distribution device. (a) is an oblique view of the medicine packaging machine with the collection chute removed, (b) is an oblique view of the medicine packaging machine with the collection chute moved backward, and (c) is an oblique view of the collection chute. 10A and 10B show the structure of a medicine packaging machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 10A is a front view and FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E. FIG. 10 is a plan view of the double-row temporary storage mechanism, its drive mechanism, and transmission link mechanism.

We will now present several specific embodiments suitable for implementing the medication packaging machine of the present invention, but first we will provide some background information and the problems to be solved.

Regarding the so-called opposing fixed side plates, which are the side plates of the left and right side plates in the temporary storage mechanism that face the oscillating plate and form a fixed tablet drop path, so-called inclined opposing fixed side plates have also been developed in which the upper part is away from the oscillating plate and the lower part is inclined so that it is close to the oscillating plate (see, for example, Figure 3 of Patent Document 6 and Figure 8 of Patent Document 7).
In such a temporary storage mechanism, the role and burden of temporarily stopping the tablets that have fallen from the upper tablet collection mechanism is not solely borne by the oscillating plate, but is also shared by the inclined opposing fixed side plates, thereby reducing the burden on the oscillating plate, which is difficult to strengthen with movable parts.

However, when the rocking plate body is swung downward to open the temporary storage mechanism, the majority of the medicine falls downward from the temporary storage mechanism, falling diagonally downward in accordance with the inclination of the inclined opposing fixed side plates.
In this case, the medicine falls diagonally from the temporary storage mechanism into the fixed chute (first falling collection section) of the lower tablet collection mechanism located immediately below it.However, since the fixed chute (first falling collection section) also has a tablet fall path forming surface that widens at the top and narrows at the bottom, medicine that falls into the part of the tablet fall path forming surface of the fixed chute (first falling collection section) where the slope of the tablet fall path forming surface is close to the slope of the inclined opposing fixed side plate of the upper temporary storage mechanism experiences little impact when it comes into contact and changes in direction of travel, so it proceeds downward smoothly and quickly.

In contrast, drugs that fall into parts of the fixed chute (first falling collection section) where the inclination of the tablet falling path forming surface and the inclination of the inclined opposing fixed side plate are not aligned, particularly parts that are inclined in the opposite direction, experience a large impact when they come into contact and a large change in direction of travel, which raises concerns about an increase in the amount of dust generated, and the falling tablets tend to move downward more slowly, resulting in variations in passage time.
Furthermore, when multiple temporary storage mechanisms are lined up on the left and right at the same height, there is a noticeable discrepancy in both the amount of dust generated and the transit time, especially when comparing the temporary storage mechanism located on the far left with the temporary storage mechanism located on the far right.

Therefore, in order to further reduce the burden of maintaining the cleanliness of the fixed chute (first falling and collecting section) of the lower tablet collecting mechanism, not only are the aforementioned methods such as shortening the front-to-rear length of the temporary storage mechanism and positioning its drive mechanism at the rear to ensure space for cleaning, but a further technical challenge is to further improve the temporary storage mechanism located immediately above it in order to reduce variations in the amount of dust generated and the tablet falling speed in the fixed chute (first falling and collecting section) of the lower tablet collecting mechanism, thereby making it less susceptible to contamination and shortening the tablet collection time.

[Embodiment 1]
The medicine packaging machine of embodiment 1 is a medicine packaging machine described in any one of the above-mentioned solutions 1 to 6,
The tablet feeder housing is provided with a plurality of single-row storage mechanisms attached to the lower end thereof for temporarily storing and then releasing tablets dropped from the upper tablet collecting mechanism, and a multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism for simultaneously operating the plurality of single-row storage mechanisms to simultaneously release the tablets, the lower tablet collecting mechanism is adapted to receive the dropped tablets from the upper tablet collecting mechanism via the single-row storage mechanism, the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism is arranged deep inside the housing, and the corresponding single-row storage mechanism and the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism are disengaged and engaged in accordance with the forward and backward movement of the single-row storage mechanism due to the insertion and removal of the tablet feeder housing from the housing, the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism is arranged deep inside the housing, and the tablet feeder The corresponding single-row storage mechanism and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism are adapted to separate and engage in response to the forward and backward movement of the single-row storage mechanism as it is inserted into and removed from the housing of the storage facility, and the leftmost single-row storage mechanism, which is located on the leftmost side of the housing among the plurality of single-row storage mechanisms, is equipped with a left non-oscillating member having a right-side sloping surface facing diagonally upward to the right and a right-side oscillating member opposite it, forming a tapered tablet drop path between the two members, and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism, which is located on the rightmost side of the plurality of single-row storage mechanisms, is equipped with a right non-oscillating member having a left-side sloping surface facing diagonally upward to the left and a left-side oscillating member opposite it, forming a tapered tablet drop path between the two members.

In the drug packaging machine of this embodiment 1, most of the tablets released from the leftmost single-row storage mechanism are strongly affected by the right slope of the left non-oscillating member and fall diagonally downward to the right. However, since the left side of the tablet fall path of the lower tablet collection mechanism located at the destination of the tablets is inclined diagonally downward from the upper left to the right to collect the tablets, the falling tablets enter the lower tablet collection mechanism smoothly and quickly without being subjected to strong impact.
In addition, most of the tablets released from the rightmost single-row storage mechanism are strongly affected by the left slope of the right non-oscillating member and fall diagonally downward to the left.However, the right side of the tablet fall path of the lower tablet collection mechanism, which is located at the destination of the tablets, is inclined diagonally downward from the upper right to the left in order to collect the tablets, so the falling tablets enter the lower tablet collection mechanism smoothly and quickly without being subjected to strong impact.

In this way, when the falling tablets are collected by the fixed chute (first falling collection section) which occupies the upper part of the lower tablet collection mechanism, the single-row storage mechanism directly above has been designed so that the tablets released from the single-row storage mechanism at either the left or right end fall at an angle towards the center, thereby reducing undesirable impact on the falling tablets and undesirable variation in the tablet falling speed.
Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suppress variations in the amount of dust generated and the tablet falling speed, thereby not only improving the resistance to contamination but also shortening the tablet collection time.

[Embodiment 2]
The drug packaging machine of embodiment 2 is the drug packaging machine of embodiment 1, characterized in that the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism is equipped with a left drive source that is responsible for driving members including the leftmost single-row storage mechanism, and a right drive source that is responsible for driving members including the rightmost single-row storage mechanism.
In this second embodiment of the medicine packaging machine, the multiple-row simultaneous drive mechanism has multiple drive sources, and the leftmost single-row storage mechanism and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism are driven individually, making it possible to accurately and easily drive multiple single-row storage mechanisms with different swing directions.

[Embodiment 3]
The drug packaging machine of embodiment 3 is the drug packaging machine of embodiment 1, characterized in that the leftmost single-row storage mechanism and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism share a driving source for rotational motion, and a rotational reversal mechanism that reverses the direction of rotational motion is incorporated into either the left-hand transmission mechanism that runs from the driving source to the leftmost single-row storage mechanism or the right-hand transmission mechanism that runs from the driving source to the rightmost single-row storage mechanism.
In the drug packaging machine of this embodiment 3, a rotational inversion mechanism is incorporated into either the right-hand transmission mechanism or the left-hand transmission mechanism, making it possible to share a rotational drive source for the leftmost single-row storage mechanism and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism, thereby suppressing an increase in the number of drive sources.

[Embodiment 4]
The drug packaging machine of embodiment 4 is a drug packaging machine of embodiments 1 to 3, characterized in that it is provided with an electric motor as a drive source for the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism, and an origin sensor that detects the rotation stop position of the output shaft of the electric motor, and is configured to stop rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor when the single-row storage mechanism and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism are separated based on the detection of the origin sensor.

In this embodiment 4 of the medicine packaging machine, an origin sensor is provided for the electric motor that drives the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism, and the rotation of the electric motor is stopped when the single-row storage mechanism and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism are separated based on the detection of the origin sensor.This ensures that the single-row storage mechanism and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism are properly and reliably separated when neither single-row storage mechanism is being driven.Therefore, even if the single-row storage mechanism is attached to the lower end of the upper tablet feeder storage cabinet rather than near the upper end of the lower tablet collection mechanism where the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism is installed in order to flatten and smooth the periphery of the upper end of the lower tablet collection mechanism, the required separation state is automatically ensured when a separation state is required for the drawers of the tablet feeder storage cabinet, etc. Furthermore, in configurations where the single-row storage mechanism and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism are constantly in contact when the tablet feeder storage cabinet is pushed into the medicine cabinet, fine powder and other particles tend to be generated due to friction caused by slight vibrations of either component at the contact point. However, with the configuration of the present invention, the contact time is limited, resulting in less contamination by fine powder and other particles.

Specific embodiments for carrying out the medicine packaging machine of the present invention and the embodiments will be described below with reference to Examples 1 and 2.
Example 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 embodies the above-mentioned Solutions 1 to 6 (claims 1 to 6 as originally filed) as well as embodiments 1, 2, and 4, and Example 2 shown in FIGS. 10 and 11 embodies the above-mentioned embodiment 3.
In addition, for the sake of simplicity, when illustrating these, fasteners such as bolts, connectors such as hinges, transmission members such as gears, electric circuits such as motor drivers, electronic circuits such as controllers, etc. have been omitted, and only those necessary for explaining the invention and those related thereto are illustrated.

A specific configuration of a medicine dispensing and packaging machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Figure 1 shows the overall structure of the medicine packaging machine 10, with (a) being a front view, (b) being a left side view, (c) being a left side view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the packaging device 40 pulled out, and (d) being a left side view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the medicine manual distribution device 80 pulled out.

Figure 2 (a) is a left side view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the tablet feeder housing 12 pulled out from the medicine storage 11, and (b) is an A-A cross-sectional view of the tablet feeder housing 12. Also, Figure 2 (c) is an A-A cross-sectional view of the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a (temporary storage mechanism 60, single-row storage mechanism) located at the leftmost position in the medicine storage 11, and Figure 2 (d) is an A-A cross-sectional view of the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b (temporary storage mechanism 60, single-row storage mechanism) located at the rightmost position in the medicine storage 11. Both figures show the temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) in a closed state.

Figure 3(a) is a composite diagram of a left side view of the medicine packaging machine 10 and a cross-sectional view of the tablet feeder housing 12 pulled out from the medicine storage 11, taken along the line B-B (see Figure 2(b)). Figure 3(b) is a cross-sectional view of the tablet feeder housing 12 taken along the line C-C, taken along the line B-B. Figure 3(c) is a cross-sectional view of the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a (temporary storage mechanism 60, single-row storage mechanism) located at the leftmost position in the medicine storage 11, and Figure 3(d) is a cross-sectional view of the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b (temporary storage mechanism 60, single-row storage mechanism) located at the rightmost position in the medicine storage 11. Both diagrams show the temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) in an open state.

4A to 4C are a plan view, a front view, and a vertical cross-sectional view of a single-row temporary storage mechanism 60 and its drive mechanisms 51 to 55. FIG.
5(a) is a plan view of the double-row temporary storage mechanisms 60, 60, 60, 60, the double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 that simultaneously drive them, and the transmission link mechanism 70. Figures 5(b) and 5(c) are both front views of the link mechanism 70, with 5(b) showing the operating state when the temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) is closed, and 5(c) showing the operating state when the temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) is open.

Figure 6 (a) is a left side view of the drug packaging machine 10 with the tablet feeder storage unit 12 pulled out from the drug storage unit 11, and (b) is a D-D cross-sectional view thereof, showing the arrangement of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection unit) in the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage unit 50.
Figure 7 (a) is a left side view of the drug packaging machine 10 with the tablet feeder storage 12, the drug manual distribution device 80, and the packaging device 40 all housed within the housing, and (b) is a left side view of the drug packaging machine 10 with the drug manual distribution device 80 pulled out of the housing.

Figure 8 shows, (a) a perspective view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) pulled forward from the housing together with the medicine manual distribution device 80, (b) a perspective view of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) and its surroundings seen through the medicine manual distribution device 80, and (c) a left side view of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section), collection chute 33 (third falling collection section), and medicine manual distribution device 80.

Figure 9 shows (a) a perspective view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) removed from the drawer mechanism 81, (b) a perspective view of the medicine packaging machine 10 with the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) slid to the rear of the medicine manual distribution device 80, and (c) a perspective view of the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) alone.

The medicine packaging machine 10 (see Figure 1) is an improved version of a previously described medicine packaging machine, and like those machines (see also Patent Documents 1 to 7), it has a medicine storage unit 11 provided in the upper section of the housing, and a lower medicine collection mechanism 30 and a packaging device 40 housed in a vertically arranged configuration in the lower section of the housing. In this example (see Figures 1(b), 2(a), and 3(a)), the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage unit 50 is also located in the uppermost section of the lower section of the housing, above the lower medicine collection mechanism 30 and directly below the medicine storage unit 11.

Although not shown in the figure, a control device consisting of an electronic control computer or the like is also mounted in an appropriate location within the housing. A touch panel 14, which serves as an operation input unit and display unit for the control device, is also attached to the front of one of the medicine storage rooms 11 of the medicine packaging machine 10 (see FIG. 1(a)).
In the medicine cabinet 11, multiple (four in this example) tablet feeder cabinets 12 are arranged side by side on the left and right, and each tablet feeder cabinet 12 can be individually pushed into the medicine cabinet 11 (see FIG. 1) or pulled out (see FIG. 2(a)) from the medicine cabinet 11 as needed, such as when replenishing medicines or performing maintenance work. On both the left and right sides of the medicine cabinet 11, side panels 11a are provided that can be easily opened and closed by detaching or swinging (see FIGS. 1 to 3).

The tablet feeder storage 12 is equipped with a large number of tablet feeders 13. In the illustrated example (see Figures 2 and 3), the tablet feeders 13 are arranged in six columns and six rows on the left side (see Figures 2(a) and (b)), and there are also six columns and six rows of tablet feeders 13 on the right side (see Figures 2(b) and 3(b)). However, for the lowest level, the front-to-rear length of the upper drug collection mechanism 20 must match the front-to-rear length of the upper end of the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section), so tablet feeder non-mounting sections 26 are provided at the front and rear, and therefore only a small number of tablet feeders 13 (three in Figures 2(a) and 3(a)) are arranged.

The tablet feeder 13 (see Figures 2 and 3) is illustrated as a detachable cassette-type tablet feeder for specific tablets, but it consists of a base 13a (drive unit/discharge unit) fixed to the tablet feeder storage 12 and a detachable cassette 13b (follower unit/storage unit). Various types of tablets are randomly stored in each cassette 13b, and the tablets are sequentially discharged under the control of the control device described above. Note that the tablet feeder 13 is not limited to a detachable cassette-type tablet feeder for specific tablets; some or all of the multiple tablet feeders 13, ..., 13 may be integrated, fixed, multi-tablet compatible tablet feeders (see, for example, JP 2021-029378 A).

In short, the tablet feeder 13 may be any type that can accommodate a large number of medicines at once and can sequentially discharge the accommodated medicines one by one under the control of the above-mentioned control device.
Dispensing instructions and the like for the control device can be given by communication from a dispensing server (not shown) or can be given manually via the touch panel 14. The touch panel 14 is also configured to display the operating status of the medicine packaging machine 10 and information for the dispensing worker under the control of the control device.

Also (see Figure 2(b)), an upper drug collection mechanism 20 equipped with a tablet guideway slide-down plate 24 and a tablet guideway slide-down port 25 is located between the left and right tablet feeders 13. The upper drug collection mechanism 20 (see Figures 2(b) and 3) is a thin box-like structure with one built into each tablet feeder housing 12. It receives the drugs discharged from the multiple tablet feeders 13 arranged on the left and right through the tablet guideway slide-down port 25 into the hollow space between the left and right tablet guideway slide-down plates 24, 24, and guides them downward to allow them to fall. All tablets discharged from the tablet feeders 13 enter and are temporarily stored in the temporary storage mechanism 60 (described later in the closed state) (see Figures 2(c) and (d)). They are then released together by opening the temporary storage mechanism 60 (see Figures 3(c) and (d)).

The lower drug collection mechanism 30 (see Figures 1(b), 2(a), 3(a), 6 and 7) is located below the multiple tablet feeder storage cabinets 12 in the drug storehouse 11, and receives and collects drugs that have fallen from the numerous tablet feeders 13, ..., 13 mounted therein, through one of the multiple upper drug collection mechanisms 20 and then through one of the multiple temporary storage mechanisms 60, and then deposits them into the packaging device 40 below.In this configuration example, the main components are three upper and lower funnel-shaped members 31, 32 and 33.
Of these, the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) is located at the upper level and is a large, tapered vertical cylindrical member that moves the falling medicine from the temporary storage mechanism 60 slightly toward the center.

The accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is a medium-sized vertical cylindrical member tapered downward, located at the middle section, and receives the medicines that have fallen from the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), gathers them in the center, and then releases them downward.
The collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) is a small, tapered vertical cylindrical member located at the bottom, and in addition to the medicines that have fallen from the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section), it also receives medicines that have been discharged and fallen from the medicine manual distribution device 80, and further gathers them in the center before releasing them downward toward the feeding hopper 41 of the packaging device 40.

The packaging device 40 (see Figures 1 to 3) is provided below the above-mentioned lower drug collection mechanism 30, and when drugs that have been narrowed down by the lower drug collection mechanism 30 are dropped from the lower drug collection mechanism 30, the drugs or drugs are received in an input hopper 41 and sorted and packaged in packaging strips (not shown) according to the control of a controller.
As with the conventional product described above, the packaging device 40 is also designed to be pulled out forward from the housing in conjunction with the pulling out of the base member 42 (see FIG. 1(c)).

The manual drug distribution device 80 is mounted on a drawer mechanism 81 along with the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section) and the collecting chute 33 (third drop collection section) (see Figure 1(b)), and can be pulled forward from the housing together with them (see Figure 1(d)). The manual drug distribution device 80 is equipped with a removable spare distribution cassette or a permanent spare distribution section, which has multiple compartments (cells) arranged vertically and horizontally. The top of each compartment is open for drug input, and the bottom and bottom are opened and closed by shutters or the like for drug output, allowing drug input to be performed manually while drug output can be performed automatically. Drugs dropped and discharged from the manual drug distribution device 80 in compartments are fed into the collecting chute 33 (third drop collection section), where they merge with drugs that have fallen from the tablet feeder 13 via the above-mentioned collection mechanisms 20, 60, 31, and 32 into the collecting chute 33 (third drop collection section).

In this example, the temporary storage mechanism double row storage section 50 is also secured in the lower part of the housing that houses the medicine manual distribution device 80 and the lower medicine collection mechanism 30 (see Figures 1 to 3 and 6).
The temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 is disposed above the lower medicine collection mechanism 30, and is located midway between the upper medicine collection mechanism 20 and the lower medicine collection mechanism 30 (see FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b)). Furthermore, the double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 and the link mechanism 70 are fixedly mounted in the rear portion of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 (see FIG. 6). Furthermore, the upper end of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) is fixed to the center of the underside of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 (see FIG. 6). Thus, the central and front portions of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 are provided with space for the temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) to move in and out as the tablet feeder storage 12 is moved in and out of the medicine storage 11 (see FIGS. 1(b) and 6).

The temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) (see Figures 2 to 6) is attached to each tablet feeder storage chamber 12, and comprises a long, front-to-rear box frame 61 with an open top, a slanted plate 62 fixed to one side of the box frame, an opening/closing member 63 (oscillating plate, oscillating member) facing the slanted plate 62 and capable of opening and closing the bottom surface, and a support shaft 64 (transmission shaft) connected to the upper end of the opening/closing member 63.
When the support shaft 64 is driven to rotate within a limited range, the opening/closing member 63 is swung to close the bottom of the box frame 61 (see Figures 2(c), (d), and 4(a)), open the bottom to reveal an opening 63a (a narrowing path for the tablets to fall) (see Figure 4(b)), or even enlarge the opening 63a (see Figures 3(c), (d), and 4(c)).

This type of temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) receives and temporarily retains medications discharged from multiple tablet feeders 13 as they are guided and dropped into the upper medication collection mechanism 20 above. It then opens the bottom at the appropriate time and releases the retained medications all at once through the opening 63a, causing them to fall into the lower medication collection mechanism 30. This temporary storage eliminates variations in medication collection times due to variations in the discharge timing of each tablet feeder 13, differences in the length of the drop path in each upper medication collection mechanism 20, and ultimately variations in drop times. By dropping a packet's worth of medication all at once into the lower medication collection mechanism 30, this reduces the waiting time for the packaging device 40 to load the medications, helping to speed up medication packaging.

Furthermore, in this temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism), a cam mechanism 52 consisting of a driver 53 and a follower 54 is installed at the engagement portion of both mechanisms 51-55, 60 so that the temporary storage mechanism 60 and the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism 51-55 can smoothly separate and engage in response to the forward and backward movement of the corresponding temporary storage mechanism 60 (single-row storage mechanism) due to the insertion and removal of tablets from the medicine cabinet 11 (housing) of the tablet feeder storage cabinet 12. The follower 54, which is the driven side of the cam mechanism 52, is attached to the support shaft 64 of the temporary storage mechanism 60, and the driver 53, which is the driving side of the cam mechanism 52, is attached to the rotary drive shaft of the electric motor 51 (drive source) of the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism 51-55. Each time the rotary drive shaft rotates once, the two links 53, 54 temporarily move from a separated state to a contact state and then return to the separated state.

In a separated/non-operating state where the driving link 53 and the follower link 54 are separated (see FIG. 4(a)), the lower end of the opening/closing member 63 is maintained in a closed state in which it abuts against the lower end of the side plate 62 (inclined plate, opposed fixed/inclined non-oscillating member) by the action of a spring (not shown) or the like (see also FIGS. 2(c) and (d)).
Therefore, in this closed state, both the side plate 62 and the opening/closing member 63 are inclined in the opposite direction, for example, by several tens of degrees from the vertical, and a tablet storage space with an inverted triangular cross section is secured between the two members 62, 63.

In contrast, in the joined/actuated state in which the driving link 53 abuts against the driven link 54 and pushes it (see FIGS. 4(b) and (c)), the support shaft 64 rotates within a limited range of about several tens of degrees, causing the opening/closing member 63 to swing, temporarily creating an opening 63a between the lower end of the side plate 62 and the lower end of the opening 63a (see also FIGS. 3(c) and (d)).
Therefore, in this open state, the space between the side plate 62 and the opening/closing member 63 is open at the top, middle and bottom, and in particular, the lower part that was closed opens, causing the tablets that were temporarily stored in the tablet storage space to be released downward all at once.

Furthermore, the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 (see Figure 4) are also provided with an origin sensor 55 that detects the rotation angle (rotation phase) of the output shaft of the electric motor 51, and therefore the rotation stop position, by sensing, for example, the approach or separation of the origin 53. Based on the detection status of the origin sensor 55, motor control is performed to immediately stop the drive of the electric motor 51 when, for example, the detection level exceeds a predetermined threshold. This stops the rotation of the output shaft of the electric motor 51 when the temporary storage mechanism 60 and the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 are separated, and enables one rotation of the electric motor 51 and therefore the temporary opening of the opening 63a due to the swing of the opening/closing member 63 to be repeated with high precision (transition from (a) → (b) → (c) → (a) in Figure 4).

In addition, a link mechanism 70 is interposed between the multiple row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 and the temporary storage mechanism 60 in order to save the electric motor 51 (see FIG. 5).
Specifically (see the left half of Figure 5(a)), a link mechanism 70 is interposed between the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, which is the temporary storage mechanism 60 located at the far left, and the temporary storage mechanism 60 located to the right of it, closer to the center, and the opening and closing operations of these two leftmost single-row storage mechanisms 60a, 60 are driven by the electric motor 51 on the left.
Furthermore, these left double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 serve as a left drive source that drives the members including the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a (the left link mechanism 70 and the leftmost cam mechanism 52).

In addition (see the right half of Figure 5(a)), another link mechanism 70 is interposed between the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b, which is the temporary storage mechanism 60 located at the far right, and the temporary storage mechanism 60 located to the left of it, closer to the center, so that the opening and closing operations of these two rightmost single-row storage mechanisms 60b, 60 are driven by another electric motor 51 on the right.
Furthermore, these right-side double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 serve as right-side drive sources that drive the members including the right-most single-row storage mechanism 60b (the right-side link mechanism 70 and the right-end cam mechanism 52).

Moreover (see the lower half of Figure 5(a)), the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the right (see also Figures 2(c) and 3(c)) are equipped with a side plate 62, which is a non-oscillating member on the left side with a right-sloping surface facing diagonally upward to the right, and an opening/closing member 63, which is an oscillating member on the right side opposite it, and a tapered tablet drop path including a lower end opening 63a is formed between the two members 62, 63.
On the other hand (see the lower half of Figure 5(a)), the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the left (see also Figures 2(d) and 3(d)) are equipped with a side plate 62, which is a non-oscillating member on the right side with a left-sloping surface facing diagonally upward to the left, and an opening/closing member 63, which is an oscillating member on the left side opposite it, and a tapered tablet drop path including a lower end opening 63a is formed between the two members 62, 63.

The link mechanism 70 (see Figure 5) is a transmission mechanism for transmitting the axial rotational motion of a limited angle of the support shaft 64 (transmission shaft) driven by the cam mechanism 52, which converts the single rotational motion of the output shaft of the electric motor 51 into a swinging motion, to the support shaft 64 of the adjacent temporary storage mechanism 60, and is provided at a location near the back of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 within the housing, and is located behind multiple (four in this example) temporary storage mechanisms 60 (see Figure 5(a)).
In this embodiment, a set of link mechanisms 70 is provided behind the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the right, and the left-side double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 that drive them, and another set of link mechanisms 70 is provided behind the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b, the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the left, and the right-side double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 that drive them.

Each link mechanism 70 (see Figure 5) comprises a long, rod-shaped connecting member 71, a short oscillating member 72 arranged one-to-one with the temporary storage mechanism 60, and a biasing spring 74 arranged one-to-one with each oscillating member 72. The oscillating end 72a of the oscillating member 72 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 71, and the oscillating fulcrum 72b of the oscillating member 72 is rotatably connected to a support member (not shown) at the back of the housing (see Figures 5(a) and (b)).

When the electric motor 51 swings the follower 54, the corresponding transmission shaft 64 rotates within a limited range against the reaction force of the biasing spring 74, and the other support shafts 64a, 64b, which are interlocked via the link mechanism 70 and the cam mechanism 52, also rotate accordingly (see FIG. 5(c)). Furthermore, when the rotational drive of the transmission shaft 64 is stopped, the biasing force of the biasing spring 74 returns all of the support shafts 64, 64, 64, 64, including the transmission shaft 64a, to their original positions (see FIG. 5(b)).
Therefore, each time the output shaft of the electric motor 51 rotates once, the cam mechanism 52, the transmission shaft 64a, and the link mechanism 70 are activated, causing all of the opening and closing members 63 to swing, thereby causing all of the temporary storage mechanisms 60, 60, 60, 60 to perform opening and closing operations.

Furthermore, by installing such a link mechanism 70 between the left-side double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 and the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and its adjacent temporary storage mechanism 60, and by installing another link mechanism 70 between the right-side double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b and its adjacent temporary storage mechanism 60, and by making both mechanisms symmetrical (see mechanisms 70, 52, 51, 60a, and 60 connected from upper left to lower left in Figure 5(a) and mechanisms 70, 52, 51, 60b, and 60 connected from upper right to lower right in Figure 5(a)), the opening and closing member 63 of each temporary storage mechanism 60 swings its lower end from the left or right toward the center when it is opened.

More specifically, when the control device simultaneously rotates the left and right electric motors 51, 51 once, the swinging members 72, 72 of the left link mechanism 70 simultaneously reciprocate to the left once, and the swinging members 72, 72 of the right link mechanism 70 simultaneously reciprocate to the right once (see the state changes in Figures 4(a), 5(b) → 4(c), 5(c) → 4(a), 5(b)). Accordingly, the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the right temporarily open from left to right toward the center (see the state changes in Figures 2(c) → 3(c) → 2(c)), and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the left temporarily open from left to right toward the center (see the state changes in Figures 2(d) → 3(d) → 2(d)).

Regarding the lower drug collection mechanism 30, we have only stated that it consists of three upper and lower funnel-shaped members (vertical cylindrical members with a narrowed bottom) consisting of a fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), an accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section), and a collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section), so we will provide further explanation.
First, the upper fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) is the largest, and its upper end is normally fixed to the bottom plate of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 (see Figures 1(b) and 6), and it is located below the multiple tablet feeder storage sections 12 of the medicine storage room 11.Therefore, when the side panel 11a is removed from the housing of the medicine packaging machine 10, the bottom surface of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 can be seen from the side of the medicine storage room 11, and therefore it is also easy to look into the inclined inner surface of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) from diagonally above (see Figure 6(b)).

Next, the middle accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is a smaller component than the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) described above, and is mounted on the drawer mechanism 81 of the manual chemical distribution device 80 and positioned behind the device (see Figure 1). When the manual chemical distribution device 80 is pushed into the housing (see Figure 7(a)), it is housed inside the housing and positioned directly below the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), collecting any chemicals that fall from there and releasing them downward toward the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section). Furthermore, when the manual chemical distribution device 80 is pulled forward from the housing, it is also pulled forward from the housing in conjunction with the withdrawal (see Figure 7(b)).

In order to enable such concomitant insertion and removal and also to enable the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) to be easily and quickly attached and detached when pulled forward from the housing, an accumulation chute support member 32a that detachably supports the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is erected on the upper surface of the pull-out mechanism 81 (see Figures 8 and 9(a)).
In this example, a pair of accumulation chute support members 32a are separated into left and right and located behind the chemical manual distribution device 80. Then (see FIG. 8 ), the left and right protruding portions at the upper end of the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section) are placed on the upper end 32b of the accumulation chute support member 32a, and then the hangers 32d of the accumulation chute support member 32a are operated to engage with both ends of the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section), thereby fixing the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section) to the draw-out mechanism 81 and, by extension, to the chemical manual distribution device 80.

Furthermore, when the drug manual distribution device 80 is pulled out of the housing in this fixed state, operating the hanging device 32d in the opposite direction to release the engagement of the hanging device 32d with the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) releases the fixation of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) with the pull-out mechanism 81 of the drug manual distribution device 80, so that the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) can be lifted with both hands and removed (see Figure 9 (a)).
To facilitate the lifting operation, recesses 32c are formed on both the left and right sides of the upper end of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) so that the fingers can be placed on them (see Figures 8(b), (c), and 9(a)).

Furthermore, the lower collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is a smaller member than the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) described above, and is arranged inside the draw-out mechanism 81 of the drug manual distribution device 80. It is mounted so as to be slidable back and forth relative to the collecting chute support member 33a, which is inserted and removed forward from the housing together with the draw-out mechanism 81, and is located at the rear and below of the drug manual distribution device 80 (see Figures 1, 7 to 9).
The collection chute support member 33a (see Figures 8(c) and 9) consists of a slide rail-like member arranged inside the drawer mechanism 81, and is designed to support the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) detachably and movable back and forth at the rear of the drug manual distribution device 80.

When the manual medicine distribution device 80 is pushed into the housing (see Figure 7(a)), the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) fits inside the housing, with its rear half positioned directly below the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) to further collect medicines that have fallen from the chute 32 to the collection chute 33, and its front half also collecting medicines discharged from the manual medicine distribution device 80, which are then bundled together and released downward from the bottom end, so that the medicines discharged from the tablet feeder 13 of the medicine storage room 11 and the medicines discharged from the manual medicine distribution device 80 are both bundled together and fed into the feeding hopper 41 of the packaging device 40.

In contrast, when the manual drug distribution device 80 is pulled forward from the housing (see Figure 7(b)), the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) is also pulled forward from the housing in conjunction with the pulling out of the manual drug distribution device 80, similar to the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) described above (see Figure 8).
Regardless of the state, i.e., whether the manual drug distribution device 80 is pulled out from the housing or not, when the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is attached to the pull-out mechanism 81 (see Figure 8), the forward and backward movement of the collection chute 33 (third falling collection section) is limited to a small range, and in the normal state it is forced forward and positioned behind the manual drug distribution device 80.

In the configuration of this example (see Figure 8), a collecting chute rear movement range limiting member 32e is formed at the rear end of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) (see Figure 8(c)), and this 32e protrudes downward to the extent that it abuts against the rear part of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section), etc. Furthermore, a collecting chute actuation means 33b is attached to the lower end of the chemical manual distribution device 80 (or the corresponding part of the withdrawal mechanism 81), and is positioned so that this 33b (or the chemical manual distribution device 80 or the withdrawal mechanism 81) will abut against the front part of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) and interfere with it, etc. Therefore, when the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is attached to the drawer mechanism 81, the forward and backward movement of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is limited to a small range obtained by subtracting the forward and backward length of the upper end of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) from the separation distance between the collecting chute rearward movement range limiting member 32e and the collecting chute biasing means 33b.

Furthermore, the collecting chute biasing means 33b uses a magnetized ferromagnetic material such as a permanent magnet, and at least the portion of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) facing the collecting chute biasing means 33b uses a material such as iron that is easily attracted to the collecting chute biasing means 33b.When the upper end of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is between the front collecting chute biasing means 33b and the rear collecting chute rear movement range limiting member 32e (see Figure 8(c)), the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) slides along the upper surface of the collecting chute support member 33a and is attracted to the collecting chute biasing means 33b.

This collecting chute biasing means 33b limits the range of rearward movement of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) as described above when the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is attached to the accumulation chute support member 32a, even when the medicine manual distribution device 80 is pulled forward from the housing. Furthermore, when the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is attached to the accumulation chute support member 32a erected on the draw-out mechanism 81 and the rearward movement of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is restricted, it also pulls the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) forward, maintaining a constant position relative to the medicine manual distribution device 80.

Furthermore, when the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is removed from the accumulation chute support member 32a while the chemical manual distribution device 80 is pulled forward from the housing (see Figure 9(a)), the collecting chute rearward movement range limiting member 32e also comes out of the housing, eliminating interference with 32e and allowing the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) to move rearward. Therefore, when the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is moved rearward against the force of the collecting chute biasing means 33b (see Figure 9(b)), the entire collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is positioned midway between the front of the housing and the rear end of the chemical manual distribution device 80. This is a rearward position where the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) can be lifted away from the chemical manual distribution device 80, the pull-out mechanism 81, and the collecting chute support member 33a.

The collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) has handle members 33c, 33c erected at both ends of its upper surface (see Figure 9 (c)), so that the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) can be easily and safely removed from the medicine packaging machine 10 by hooking the fingertips on the left and right handle members 33c, 33c and lifting it with both hands.
Furthermore, the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) can be easily and safely attached to a predetermined position by following the steps in reverse.

The usage and operation of the medicine packaging machine 10 of Example 1 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 9 mentioned above.

The usage and dispensing operations of this medication packaging machine 10 are basically the same as those of conventional medication packaging machines. If a tablet feeder 13 is known to need to be replenished with medication (tablets), the medication feeder housing 12 containing it is pulled out from the medication storage 11 (see Figure 2(a)), the exposed feeder 13 is filled with the specified medication, and the medication feeder housing 12 is then pushed back into the medication storage 11 (see Figures 1(a) and (b)). Dispensing instructions are then given by operating the touch panel 14, etc. Furthermore, if the prescription includes medication (tablets) not assigned to a tablet feeder 13, the control device will display manual dispensing instructions on the touch panel 14. The medication manual distribution device 80 is then pulled out from the housing (see Figures 1(d) and 8(a)), and the medication is manually distributed into each compartment (box) on the top surface of the medication manual distribution device 80 according to the manual distribution instructions.

Then, when an instruction to start dispensing is given by operating the touch panel 14, the drugs to be dispensed are discharged from the drug feeders 13 in which they are stored and are guided by the upper drug collection mechanism 20 to the temporary storage mechanism 60 below (see Figure 2(b)), where they are temporarily stored.
Then, after an appropriate time has elapsed, the electric motor 51 rotates the output shaft once, which causes all temporary storage mechanisms 60 to swing their opening and closing members 63 via the cam mechanism 52 and link mechanism 70 (see Figures 4 and 5), causing all of the medicines stored by the temporary storage mechanisms 60 to fall simultaneously from the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50.

These medicines are then guided by the lower medicine collection mechanism 30 to the input hopper 41 of the packaging device 40, where they also meet the manually dispensed medicines from the manual medicine distribution device 80 at the collection chute 33 (third drop collection section), completing a packet of medicines to be dispensed, which are then sorted and packaged into packets by the lower packaging device 40. In this way, the required medicines are automatically packaged one after another.
Furthermore, at that time, the tablet drop path from the tablet feeder 13 to the temporary storage mechanism 60 and the tablet drop path from the temporary storage mechanism 60 to the packaging device 40 are separated by the opening and closing operation of the temporary storage mechanism 60 for most of the time, so that the drug drop on the upper drug collection mechanism 20 side and the drug drop on the lower drug collection mechanism 30 side can operate in parallel for the most part, thereby reducing the total time required for multiple packaging based on one prescription/dispensing instruction.

When such medicine packaging operations are repeated and regular or irregular internal cleaning becomes necessary, the automatic operation of the medicine packaging machine 10 is stopped and the necessary cleaning work is carried out on each of the sections 20, 60, 30, and 40 constituting the tablet drop path.
First, when the base member 42 on which the packaging device 40 is mounted is pulled forward from the housing (see FIG. 1(c)), almost all of the components, including the feeding hopper 41, are widely exposed, making cleaning easy, as described above.

The upper drug collection mechanism 20 incorporated into the tablet feeder storage 12 is also publicly known, for example from Patent Documents 2 and 3, so specific illustrations and detailed explanations are omitted, but the tablet drop path can be easily cleaned by separating the upper drug collection mechanism 20 into left and right halves and pulling them out individually, or by pulling them out and then opening them to the left and right.
The temporary storage mechanism 60 can also be pulled out forward from the housing together with the tablet feeder housing 12 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), making it easy to clean the tablet drop path.

With regard to the upper fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) of the lower drug collection mechanism 30, when the tablet feeder storage unit 12 is pulled forward from the drug storage unit 11, the temporary storage mechanism 60 also moves out of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50, and since the double-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 are arranged together at the rear of the temporary storage mechanism double-row storage section 50 (see Figure 6), removing the side panel 11a not only exposes the upper end of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), but also creates a large empty space above it.
Therefore, since the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) is tapered at the bottom and the internal drug drop path can be easily seen even from diagonally above, even if the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) is a large fixed type, and even if the cleaning work is performed in a position where the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) is being looked down on, cleaning of the drug drop path can be done easily and accurately.

Furthermore, the burden of maintaining the clean state of this fixed chute 31 (first falling and collecting section) is reduced by improving the multiple row simultaneous driving mechanisms 51 to 55 and the temporary storage mechanism 60.
Specifically, in the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the right (see Figure 5(a)), the fixed side plate 62, which is a non-oscillating member, is located on the left, and the opening/closing member 63, which is a swinging member with a swingable lower end, is located on the right, with the two facing each other, and the right side of the side plate 62 is inclined to form a right-sided slope facing diagonally upward to the right (see Figure 4), and the lower end of the opening/closing member 63 swings to move toward and away from the lower part of the side plate 62, so that the drug drop path between the side plate 62 and the opening/closing member 63 is narrowed downward and the lower end opens and closes.Therefore, when the opening/closing member 63 swings (see Figures 4(b) and (c)), the drug retained in the closed leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a etc. (see Figure 4(a)) moves diagonally downward to the right while being guided in the swinging direction along the inclined surface of the side plate 62, and then moves away from the temporary storage mechanism 60 and diagonally downward to the right, free to fall.

In contrast, for the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it on the left (see FIG. 5(a)), the fixed side plate 62, which is a non-oscillating member, is located on the right, and the open/close member 63, which is a swinging member with a swingable bottom end, is located on the left, facing each other. The left side of the side plate 62 is tilted to form a left-side slope facing diagonally upward to the left (see FIGS. 2(d) and 3(d)). The lower end of the open/close member 63 swings to move toward and away from the lower part of the side plate 62, creating a downwardly tapering drug drop path between the side plate 62 and the open/close member 63, and the lower end opens and closes. Therefore, when the open/close member 63 swings (see FIG. 3(d)), the drug retained in the closed rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b, etc. (see FIG. 2(d)) moves diagonally downward to the left along the slope of the side plate 62 while being guided in the swing direction. The drug then leaves the temporary storage mechanism 60 and falls freely diagonally downward to the left.

In this way, the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it to the right release tablets diagonally downward to the right, and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b and the temporary storage mechanism 60 adjacent to it to the left release tablets diagonally downward to the left. However, since the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) that receives these tablets has a drug drop path that tapers downward both left and right and front and back (see Figure 6), any tablets that fall from any single-row storage mechanism (60) and enter the drug drop path of the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) will hit the inner surface of the chute 31 that defines the drug drop path at a similar angle, so they will not bounce significantly even when they hit, and the impact on the falling tablets will be minor. Moreover, there is little undesirable variation or excessive extension of the drop path, and the decrease in drop speed is also small.
Therefore, the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) located below the temporary storage mechanism 60 has a short tablet collection time and the medicine falling path is less likely to get dirty, so the burden of keeping it clean is light.

Furthermore, as described above, by introducing an origin sensor 55 to the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51-55 (see Figure 4) and stabilizing the timing of contact and separation between the electric motor 51 and the temporary storage mechanism 60, the timing of tablets falling from the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b, and the temporary storage mechanisms 60, 60 between them into the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) is also synchronized. This also shortens the impact and vibration caused by the collision of the falling tablets on the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), thereby shortening the time it takes for contamination to occur, which can be said to help prevent contamination of the drug drop path of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section).

Of the lower drug collection mechanism 30, the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) and the gathering chute 33 (third falling collection section) are arranged behind the drug manual distribution device 80, so when cleaning the drug drop path, etc., the drug manual distribution device 80 is first pulled forward from the housing (see Figure 7).
As a result (see Figure 8), the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is exposed behind the manual drug distribution device 80 (see Figure 8(a)), and the accumulation chute support member 32a and hanging device 32d are also exposed (see Figure 8(b)).The hanging device 32d is then operated to release the fixed engagement of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) with the accumulation chute support member 32a.

Then, when the user places his/her fingers in the recess 32c and lifts up the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section), both ends of the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) separate from the upper ends 32b of the accumulation chute support members 32a, and the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is removed from the housing (see Figure 9(a)), becoming free to be carried around on its own.
Therefore, various maintenance tasks, including cleaning of the inner tablet dropping surface, can be easily and accurately performed on the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section). If a spare accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section) is available, the used accumulation chute 32 can be cleaned while packaging continues by replacing the chute 32 and quickly restarting the packaging operation of the medicine packaging machine 10.

When the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section) is removed from the medicine packaging machine 10 (see Figure 9(a)), the accumulation chute rear movement range limiting member 32e (see Figure 8(c)) is no longer located behind the accumulation chute 33 (third falling collection section).
Therefore, if the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is pushed backward with a force stronger than the attracting force of the collecting chute urging means 33b, the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) will be guided by the collecting chute support member 33a and move backward of the drug manual distribution device 80, and its entire upper end, including the handle member 33c, will be exposed (see Figure 9 (b)).

Therefore, when the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) is lifted up by placing the fingers on the handle member 33c, both ends of the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) are released from the collecting chute support member 33a, the entire collecting chute 33 is removed from the housing, and the collecting chute 33 (third falling collection section) becomes free to be carried around on its own (see Figure 9 (c)).
Therefore, the accumulation chute 32 (second drop collection section) can be easily and accurately maintained in various ways, including cleaning the inner tablet drop surface, in the same way as the above-mentioned accumulation chute 32. If a spare collection chute 33 (third drop collection section) is available, the used collection chute 33 can be cleaned while packaging continues by replacing the chutes 33, 33 and quickly restarting the packaging operation of the medicine packaging machine 10.

A specific configuration of a medicine dispensing and packaging machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
Figure 10 shows the structure of the drug packaging machine 90, where (a) is a front view and (b) is an E-E cross-sectional view, and Figure 11 is a plan view of three rows of temporary storage mechanisms 60, 60, 60 and the corresponding double-row simultaneous drive mechanism 91 and link mechanism 92.

This medicine packaging machine 90 differs from the medicine packaging machine 10 of the first embodiment described above in that the number of tablet feeder storage units 12 arranged in a row on the left and right sides of the medicine storehouse 11 has been reduced from four to three (see Figure 10), and accordingly the number of temporary storage mechanisms 60 has also been reduced to three (see Figure 11), the two sets of multi-row simultaneous drive mechanisms 51 to 55 have been reduced to one set of multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism 91, and the two sets of link mechanisms 70 have been reduced to one set of link mechanisms 92.
Accordingly, the width of the housing (see FIG. 10A) and the width of the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section) (see FIG. 10A) are narrowed.

Regarding each part in detail, with regard to the temporary storage mechanism 60 (see Figure 11), the second one from the left has been omitted, leaving only the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, the second temporary storage mechanism 60 from the right, and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b.
In the double-row simultaneous drive mechanism 91 (see FIG. 11), the second cam mechanism 52 from the left is also omitted, as is the left electric motor 51. Only the right electric motor 51, the first and second cam mechanisms 52, 52 from the right, and the leftmost cam mechanism 52 remain.

In the link mechanism 92, the second-from-the-left oscillating member 72 and biasing spring 74 have been omitted, and the left and right connecting members 71 have been combined into a single member. Furthermore, in the left-side transmission mechanism extending from the electric motor 51 as the drive source to the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, a rotation reversal mechanism 93 that reverses the direction of axial rotation is incorporated between the leftmost oscillating member 72 and the cam mechanism 52 of the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a. The rotation reversal mechanism 93 is composed of, for example, a pair of spur gears, and converts the oscillating motion of the oscillating member 72 into oscillating motion in the opposite direction, transmitting it to the cam mechanism 52 and further to the support shaft 64.

As a result, of the temporary storage mechanisms 60, 60, 60 driven by the multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism 91 via such a link mechanism 92, the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b share the electric motor 51 as the drive source for rotational motion. However, the opening/closing member 63 of the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b swing in opposite directions, with the opening/closing member 63 of the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a opening its lower end toward the lower right, and the opening/closing member 63 of the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b opening its lower end toward the lower left. As a result, the single-row storage mechanisms 60a, 60b located at both the left and right ends both drop the medicine toward the center.

In this case, the electric motor 51, which is the only rotational drive source, causes the three oscillating members 72 to oscillate together in the same direction via the cam mechanism 52 to be driven and the connecting member 71. However, as described above, a rotational reversal mechanism 93 is interposed between the leftmost oscillating member 72 and the leftmost cam mechanism 52, whereas no rotational reversal mechanism 93 is interposed between the rightmost oscillating member 72 and the rightmost cam mechanism 52, and the two parts are directly connected. As a result, even though the single electric motor 51 is shared as a rotational drive source for both the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a and the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b, the medicine is released diagonally downward to the right from the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a, and the medicine is released diagonally downward to the left from the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b. Therefore, this medicine packaging machine 90 also allows medicines that fall from the left and right single-row storage mechanisms 60a, 60b and enter the medicine drop path of the fixed chute 31 (first drop collection section) to pass through the fixed chute 31 quickly but gently, without jumping too far.

[others]
Although not mentioned in the description of the above embodiment, the fixed chute 31 (first falling collection section), the accumulation chute 32 (second falling collection section), and the gathering chute 33 (third falling collection section) may incorporate an appropriate number of partition plates having shapes such as those illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 or other appropriate shapes.

In the above embodiment, the collection chute support member 33a was configured as a separate entity from the drawer mechanism 81. However, since the collection chute support member 33a is moved in and out of the housing in conjunction with the movement of the drawer mechanism 81, the collection chute support member 33a may be configured as an accessory to the drawer mechanism 81, or may be integrated with the drawer mechanism 81.

In the above-described second embodiment, the rotation reversal mechanism 93, which reverses the direction of rotational motion, was incorporated into the left transmission mechanism extending from the electric motor 51 of the drive source to the leftmost single-row storage mechanism 60a. However, the location where the rotation reversal mechanism 93 is incorporated is not limited to the left transmission mechanism, and the rotation reversal mechanism 93 may also be incorporated into the right transmission mechanism extending from the electric motor 51 of the drive source to the rightmost single-row storage mechanism 60b.

The application of the medicine packaging machine of the present invention is not limited to the medicine packaging machines dedicated to tablet packaging as exemplified in Examples 1 and 2 above, but can also be applied to medicine packaging machines that combine a powder medicine packaging mechanism with a tablet packaging mechanism equipped with the tablet collection mechanism and temporary storage mechanism described above.

10...Medicine packaging machine,
11...medicine cabinet, 11a...side panel,
12...tablet feeder storage
13...tablet feeder, 13a...base portion (drive portion), 13b...cassette,
14...Touch panel (operation input unit, display unit),
20...upper drug collection mechanism,
24...tablet guide path slide-down plate, 25...tablet guide path slide-down opening, 26...tablet feeder non-mounting portion,
30...lower drug collection mechanism,
31...Fixed chute (first falling collection section),
32... Accumulation chute (second falling collection section),
32a...accumulation chute support member, 32b...upper end portion,
32c...recess, 32d...hanging tool, 32e...collecting chute rear movement range limiting member,
33...Collecting chute (third falling collection section),
33a... collecting chute support member, 33b... collecting chute biasing means, 33c... handle member,
40... packaging device, 41... input hopper, 42... base member,
50...Temporary storage mechanism double row storage section,
51 to 55... multi-row simultaneous drive mechanism, 51... electric motor, 52... cam mechanism,
53... master link (driving side), 54... follower link (follower side), 55... origin sensor,
60...Temporary storage mechanism (single-row storage mechanism),
60a...leftmost single-row storage mechanism, 60b...rightmost single-row storage mechanism,
61...box frame, 62...side plate (swash plate, opposing fixed/inclined non-swinging member),
63...opening and closing member (swing plate, swing member),
63a...opening (pathway for dropping tablets at the bottom), 64...support shaft (transmission shaft),
70...Link mechanism (transmission mechanism),
71...connecting member, 72...oscillating member,
72a...swing end portion, 72b...swing fulcrum portion, 74...biasing spring,
80: Manual drug dispersing device, 81: Pulling mechanism,
90...Medicine packaging machine,
91: double-row simultaneous drive mechanism; 92: link mechanism; 93: rotation/reversal mechanism

Claims (5)

a plurality of upper medicine collecting mechanisms attached to the tablet feeder housings and guiding tablets discharged from the tablet feeders downward to cause them to fall; a lower medicine collecting mechanism provided below the tablet feeder housings and collecting tablets dropped from the upper medicine collecting mechanism and depositing them downward; a packaging device provided below the lower medicine collecting mechanism and packaging the tablets deposited from the lower medicine collecting mechanism into packaging bands; and a medicine manual distribution device provided in front of the lower medicine collecting mechanism and removable forward from the housing , wherein the lower medicine collecting mechanism is provided with an accumulation chute behind the medicine manual distribution device that accumulates tablets dropped from the upper medicine collecting mechanism, and a collecting chute that collects and drops tablets dropped from the accumulation chute and tablets dropped from the medicine manual distribution device,
The accumulation chute is pulled forward from the housing in association with the forward pulling out of the chemical manual distribution device from the housing, and an accumulation chute support member for detachably supporting the accumulation chute is erected at the rear of the chemical manual distribution device, and the accumulation chute is attached to the accumulation chute support member with the upper end of the accumulation chute resting on the upper end of the accumulation chute support member ,
A medicine packaging machine characterized in that when the medicine manual distribution device is pulled forward from the housing and the accumulation chute is detached from the accumulation chute support member, the collecting chute is able to move away from the medicine manual distribution device to a rear position where it can be lifted, but when the accumulation chute is attached to the accumulation chute support member even when the medicine manual distribution device is pulled forward from the housing, the rear movement range of the collecting chute is limited . The medicine packaging machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the collecting chute is attached to the collecting chute support member, and a collecting chute biasing means is provided which attempts to pull the collecting chute forward while restricting the backward movement of the collecting chute . 3. The medicine dispensing and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a recess for receiving a fingertip is formed on a side surface of the upper end of the accumulation chute . A medicine packaging machine as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a collection chute support member that detachably supports the collection chute is provided at the rear of the medicine manual distribution device, and the collection chute is pulled forward from the housing in conjunction with the medicine manual distribution device being pulled forward from the housing . 5. The medicine dispensing and packaging machine according to claim 1, wherein a handle member that can be gripped by a fingertip is attached to an upper end surface of the collecting chute .