Patents by Inventor Takafumi Imai
Takafumi Imai has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 8640747Abstract: A medicine filling device for filling empty vials of different shapes and sizes with medicine without having to replace any members or having to perform any special operations is disclosed. More specifically, the medicine filling device is provided with a first transfer means to transfer an empty vial B stored within a stocker while the vial B is positioned on a side, a vial lifter (second transfer means) to hold the transferred vial B in an upright position and to move said vial B towards a medicine filling unit, and a vial orientation detection means to detect the orientation of the vial B which was removed from the stocker by the first transfer means. The first transfer means is provided with a reversal mechanism and the vial B is supplied to the vial lifter from the first transfer means while the bottom of the vial B faces a vial guiding means.Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2011Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Kazunori Tsukamoto, Fumitaka Hino
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Patent number: 8579153Abstract: A tablet dispenser includes a device body and a plurality of tablet cassettes disposed on one face of the device body. Each tablet cassette is capable of accommodating a plurality of types of tablets and of dispensing the tablets contained therein in a lateral direction. A plurality of chutes are in communication with the plurality of tablet cassettes. Each chute is disposed on the one face of the device body, adjacent to a corresponding tablet cassette. Each chute retains tablets dispensed from the corresponding tablet cassette and dispenses the tablets in a downward direction into a container.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2011Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Yoshinori Kumano, Akira Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mitani
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Publication number: 20130287535Abstract: There is provided a device and method for arranging a vial, which can efficiently arrange a plurality of vials in the same arrangement place. A device for arranging a vial includes an arm member 150 for sandwiching one vial 1 and a carrying means 58 for carrying the vial 1 sandwiched by the arm member 150 to a vial arranging section 202. A layout of the vials 1 in the vial arranging section 202 can be set according to the number (n) of the vials 1 carried into the same vial arranging section 202. The carrying means 58 can advance and retract the arm member 150 in at least two or more directions in the vial arranging section 202.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2013Publication date: October 31, 2013Inventors: Takafumi IMAI, Takafumi Ikeda
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Patent number: 8521323Abstract: There is provided a device and method for arranging a vial, which can efficiently arrange a plurality of vials in the same arrangement place. A device for arranging a vial includes an arm member 150 for sandwiching one vial 1 and a carrying means 58 for carrying the vial 1 sandwiched by the arm member 150 to a vial arranging section 202. A layout of the vials 1 in the vial arranging section 202 can be set according to the number (n) of the vials 1 carried into the same vial arranging section 202. The carrying means 58 can advance and retract the arm member 150 in at least two or more directions in the vial arranging section 202.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 2009Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Takafumi Ikeda
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Patent number: 8434286Abstract: The medicament dispensing machine enables to use vials having various sizes and shapes without changing a part in the machine or without performing a special operation. The medicament dispensing machine contains a discharging unit that receives a vial filled with a medicament from a medicament filling means and discharges out of a vial discharging window. The discharging unit contains a vial gripping means having a pair of gripping arms that grip a vial, a body of gripping means having the vial gripping means, a moving means that moves the vial gripping means from the medicament filling means to the vial discharging window, and an orientation changing mechanism that changes the orientation of the body of gripping means. With a coordination of the movement of the body of gripping means toward the vial discharging window, the orientation changing mechanism makes the gripping arms orient to the vial discharging window.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2012Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Yuyama Manufacturing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Yoshinori Kumano, Akira Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mitani
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Patent number: 8381491Abstract: There is provided an improved vial lid fastening device capable of reliably completing lid fastening in a short time. The vial lid fastening device 30 has a lid rotating device 51, a lid placing member 52, 53, a transporting device 55, 56, a first lid body reservoir 115, 116, a vial lid holding and supplying device 57, and a vial discharging device 58. A lid body 3 slides on an inclined flat surface 102 to reach a terminal mechanism part 101, and a stepped section 31 of the lid body 3 engages a stepped section holder 105. The lid body 3 is grasped by chuck claws 35 and is rotated as engaged to the terminal mechanism part 101 of the stepped section holder 105. Then, one of rotation regulating protrusions 28a, 28b of the lid body 3 is allowed to collide with a rotation preventing member 107 of the lid placing member 52. Thus, position determination in a rotation direction is performed with reference to the rotation regulating projections 28a, 28b and such position is maintained fixedly.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2008Date of Patent: February 26, 2013Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Minoru Tano, Yoshinori Maeji
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Publication number: 20130032247Abstract: Provided is a medicine filling device for filling empty vials of different shapes and sizes with medicine without having to replace any members or to perform any special operations. More Specifically, the medicine filling device is provided with: a first transfer means to transfer an empty vial B stored within a stocker while the vial B is positioned on a side; a vial lifter (second transfer means) to hold the transferred vial B in an upright position and to move said vial B towards a medicine filling unit; and a vial orientation detection means to detect the orientation of the vial B which was removed from the stocker by the first transfer means. The first transfer means is provided with a reversal mechanism and the vial B is supplied to the vial lifter from the first transfer means while the bottom of the vial B faces a vial guiding means.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2011Publication date: February 7, 2013Applicant: YUYAMA MFG CO LTDInventors: Takafumi Imai, Kazunori Tsukamoto, Fumitaka Hino
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Publication number: 20120304596Abstract: A medicine dispensing apparatus fills a vial having a polygonal cross-sectional shape with medicines to dispense the medicines. The apparatus contains a stocker, a first vial transporting unit, a vial orienting unit, a labeling unit, a second vial transporting unit, a medicine filling unit, and a vial discharging window. The stocker stores the vial. The first vial transporting unit transports the vial from the stocker to the labeling unit. The vial orienting unit adjusts an orientation of the vial. The labeling unit labels the vial. The second vial transporting unit transports the vial from the labeling unit to the medicine filling unit. The medicine filling unit fills the vial with the medicines. The second vial transporting unit further transports the vial from the medicine filling unit to the vial discharging window, where the vial is discharged through the vial discharging window.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2012Publication date: December 6, 2012Applicant: YUYAMA MANUFACTURING Co., LTDInventors: Naoki KOIKE, Takafumi Imai, Kazuaki Matsumura, Takuya Tsugui, Kazunori Tsukamoto
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Publication number: 20120175014Abstract: The medicament dispensing machine enables to use vials having various sizes and shapes without changing a part in the machine or without performing a special operation. The medicament dispensing machine contains a discharging unit that receives a vial filled with a medicament from a medicament filling means and discharges out of a vial discharging window. The discharging unit contains a vial gripping means having a pair of gripping arms that grip a vial, a body of gripping means having the vial gripping means, a moving means that moves the vial gripping means from the medicament filling means to the vial discharging window, and an orientation changing mechanism that changes the orientation of the body of gripping means. With a coordination of the movement of the body of gripping means toward the vial discharging window, the orientation changing mechanism makes the gripping arms orient to the vial discharging window.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2012Publication date: July 12, 2012Applicant: YUYAMA MANUFACTURING Co., LTDInventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki KOIKE, Takafumi IMAI, Yoshinori KUMANO, Akira MAEDA, Mitsuhiro MITANI
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Patent number: 8204621Abstract: There is provided a tablet discharging method capable of discharging a vial to an outlet corresponding to a size of the vial even if the size of the vial is changed. The tablet discharging method is related to removing a vial from a stocker accommodating a large number of vials according to a prescription data, dispensing tablets into the vial to fill the vial and discharging the vial filled with the tablets. The tablet discharging method includes the following steps of: determining a vial of an appropriate size according to a prescription data; checking for a stock of the determined vial; fixing a size by changing the determined vial to a vial of a size larger than that of the determined vial when the vial of the determined size is out-of-stock; and discharging the vial filled with the tablets to an outlet holding the vial of the fixed size.Type: GrantFiled: June 16, 2008Date of Patent: June 19, 2012Assignee: Yuyama Mfg., Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Akira Taniguchi
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Patent number: 8167008Abstract: A tablet filling instrument 1 for dispensing tablets into a vial 9 in accordance with prescription data and discharging the vial 9 filled with the tablets in an outlet 113 includes a pair of holding members 111 each provided with at least one slope extending from an upper end located within the instrument 1 to a lower end located in the outlet 113, the holding members 111 being designed to receive at the upper ends the vial 9 filled with the tablets and to allow the vial 9 to slide down under its own weight to the lower ends with supporting a flange 9a around an outer periphery of the vial 9.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2008Date of Patent: May 1, 2012Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akira Taniguchi, Takafumi Imai, Yoshinori Maeji
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Publication number: 20120031043Abstract: The medicament dispensing machine enables to use vials having various sizes and shapes without changing a part in the machine or without performing a special operation. The medicament dispensing machine contains a discharging unit that receives a vial filled with a medicament from a medicament filling means and discharges out of a vial discharging window. The discharging unit contains a vial gripping means having a pair of gripping arms that grip a vial, a body of gripping means having the vial gripping means, a moving means that moves the vial gripping means from the medicament filling means to the vial discharging window, and an orientation changing mechanism that changes the orientation of the body of gripping means. With a coordination of the movement of the body of gripping means toward the vial discharging window, the orientation changing mechanism makes the gripping arms orient to the vial discharging window.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2011Publication date: February 9, 2012Applicant: YUYAMA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Yoshinori Kumano, Akira Maeda, Mitsuhiro Mitani
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Publication number: 20120024423Abstract: This invention aims at providing a medicine filling device which can supply the vial container in a smooth manner without getting caught in the vial supply means designed to supply the empty vial container, before filling the drug. The supply means 60 has the structure that the vial container can pass in it and the vial container passage 68. The vial container passage 68 has the passage width goes on tapering from the region on the upper end side towards the region on the lower end side. The vial container passage 68 also has the inner wall surface 62 a, 62 b and 62 c. The vial container passage 68 has the passage portion 68 b being steeper than the inclination of the inner wall surface 62 a and the taper ratio of the passage portion 68 b being smaller than the taper ratio of the passage width in the receiving portion 62.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 12, 2010Publication date: February 2, 2012Applicant: YUYAMA MANUFACTURING Co., LTD.Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Kazunori Tsukamoto
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Patent number: 8082957Abstract: A device (1) for containing and dispensing tablets, wherein vial bottles (3) filled with tablets wait in waiting spaces (701a, b, c) and the vial bottles (3) are taken out from the waiting spaces (701a, b, c). A plurality of pairs of holding members (703a, b) facing each other for holding the bodies of the vial bottles (3) are installed in the waiting spaces (701a, b, c). Also, stock sensors (710) in the same quantity as the pair of holding members (703a, b) are installed to check for each pair of holding members whether a vial bottle is held on the pair of holding members (703a, b) or not.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2005Date of Patent: December 27, 2011Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Katsunori Yoshina, Takafumi Imai, Masahito Miyashita
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Publication number: 20110178634Abstract: A tablet dispenser includes a device body and a plurality of tablet cassettes disposed on one face of the device body. Each tablet cassette is capable of accommodating a plurality of types of tablets and of dispensing the tablets contained therein in a lateral direction. A plurality of chutes are in communication with the plurality of tablet cassettes. Each chute is disposed on the one face of the device body, adjacent to a corresponding tablet cassette. Each chute retains tablets dispensed from the corresponding tablet cassette and dispenses the tablets in a downward direction into a container.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2011Publication date: July 21, 2011Applicant: YUYAMA MFG. CO., LTD.Inventors: Shoji YUYAMA, Naoki KOIKE, Takafumi IMAI, Yoshinori KUMANO, Akira MAEDA, Mitsuhiro MITANI
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Publication number: 20110123306Abstract: There is provided a device and method for arranging a vial, which can efficiently arrange a plurality of vials in the same arrangement place. A device for arranging a vial includes an arm member 150 for sandwiching one vial 1 and a carrying means 58 for carrying the vial 1 sandwiched by the arm member 150 to a vial arranging section 202. A layout of the vials 1 in the vial arranging section 202 can be set according to the number (n) of the vials 1 carried into the same vial arranging section 202. The carrying means 58 can advance and retract the arm member 150 in at least two or more directions in the vial arranging section 202.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2009Publication date: May 26, 2011Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Takafumi Ikeda
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Publication number: 20100251667Abstract: There is provided an improved vial lid fastening device capable of reliably completing lid fastening in a short time. The vial lid fastening device 30 has a lid rotating device 51, a lid placing member 52, 53, a transporting device 55, 56, a first lid body reservoir 115, 116, a vial lid holding and supplying device 57, and a vial discharging device 58. A lid body 3 slides on an inclined flat surface 102 to reach a terminal mechanism part 101, and a stepped section 31 of the lid body 3 engages a stepped section holder 105. The lid body 3 is grasped by chuck claws 35 and is rotated as engaged to the terminal mechanism part 101 of the stepped section holder 105. Then, one of rotation regulating protrusions 28a, 28b of the lid body 3 is allowed to collide with a rotation preventing member 107 of the lid placing member 52. Thus, position determination in a rotation direction is performed with reference to the rotation regulating projections 28a, 28b and such position is maintained fixedly.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2008Publication date: October 7, 2010Inventors: Shoji Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Minoru Tano, Yoshinori Maeji
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Publication number: 20100230004Abstract: A tablet filling instrument 1 for dispensing tablets into a vial 9 in accordance with prescription data and discharging the vial 9 filled with the tablets in an outlet 113 includes a pair of holding members 111 each provided with at least one slope extending from an upper end located within the instrument 1 to a lower end located in the outlet 113, the holding members 111 being designed to receive at the upper ends the vial 9 filled with the tablets and to allow the vial 9 to slide down under its own weight to the lower ends with supporting a flange 9a around an outer periphery of the vial 9.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2008Publication date: September 16, 2010Inventors: Akira Taniguchi, Takafumi Imai, Yoshinori Maeji
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Patent number: 7770357Abstract: A tablet filling device for supplying a vial container of desired size certainly with no mistake comprising a plurality of containing means containing vial containers by size, a means for taking out a vial container from the containing means based on prescription data, means for carrying a vial container taken out by the container take out means, a means for providing a table to a vial container carried by the carrying means, a means for collecting a vial container in the middle of carriage by the carrying means, a means provided on the carrying passage of the carrying means and detecting the size of a carried vial container, and a control means for judging whether the size of a vial container selected based on the prescription data matches the size of a vial container detected by the container size detection means and collecting the carried vial container by the container collection means if they do not match each other.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: August 10, 2010Assignee: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroyuki Yuyama, Naoki Koike, Takafumi Imai, Hirokazu Chihara, Katsunori Yoshina, Masayuki Okamoto, Yoshihiko Ide
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Publication number: 20100181334Abstract: There is provided a tablet discharging method capable of discharging a vial to an outlet corresponding to a size of the vial even if the size of the vial is changed. The tablet discharging method is related to removing a vial from a stocker accommodating a large number of vials according to a prescription data, dispensing tablets into the vial to fill the vial and discharging the vial filled with the tablets. The tablet discharging method includes the following steps of: determining a vial of an appropriate size according to a prescription data; checking for a stock of the determined vial; fixing a size by changing the determined vial to a vial of a size larger than that of the determined vial when the vial of the determined size is out-of-stock; and discharging the vial filled with the tablets to an outlet holding the vial of the fixed size.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2008Publication date: July 22, 2010Inventors: Takafumi Imai, Akira Taniguchi