Abstract: When drugs are prepared according to drug preparation order sheets printed by drug preparation order printers, it is desired to freely set the relation with the printers by setting data without directly connected and fixed to a control program of a control unit of a drug preparation order system so as to cope with e.g. relocations of drug preparation tables. As the drug preparation instruction system, a control unit and a plurality of drug preparation order printers are provided. In the data storage portion of the control unit, data showing the relation between drugs and drug types are stored. By reading drug type codes from inputted drug data, and by reading printer numbers corresponding to the respective drug type codes from a printer setting portion in which are stored data showing the relation between drug type codes and printer numbers, drug data are printed individually by the printers of the set numbers.

Abstract: A writing device for display members is provided which can erasably writing patient information on a display member carried on the side of a drug carrier and automatically attach and detach it to and from the carrier. The writing device has an attach/detach/transfer unit for detaching, attaching and transferring a rewrite card to a carrier carrying the rewrite card, and a writing means connected to the attach/detach/transfer means for writing and displaying patient information on the rewrite card. The respective means are controlled based on prescription information to attach and detach the rewrite card to and from the side of the carrier.

Abstract: A drug packaging system including a bag supply unit (A) for printing injection drug information on bags and feeding the bags, a drug feed unit (B) for putting drugs specified the doctors' orders into each of the bags (206) received from the bag supply unit (A), and a packaging unit for putting the bags (206) into a bucket (209). The packaging unit includes a bed (230) for supporting bags, a mouth-opening means (231, 232) for opening the mouth of the bag on the bed, and a chute (233) through which drugs are fed into the bag on the bed through the bag mouth. The bed (230) is pivotable between a position for putting drugs into the bag and a position for dispensing the bag.

Abstract: A drug inspection device which makes drug inspection work extremely easy and simple. It has a conveyor for feeding drugs packaged in bags according to prescription data, a camera for taking pictures of drugs in the bags being fed by the conveyor, a camera monitor for displaying one after another the pictures taken by the camera, and a graphic monitor for calling image data to be prescribed from a data base and displaying the thus called data. The picture of the drugs in each bag and the image data on drugs corresponding to the drugs in said each bag are displayed simultaneously on the respective monitors for a predetermined time. By visually checking the monitors, a pharmacist can easily inspect drugs.

Abstract: A tablet feeder of the type in which tablets in a storage case are discharged by rotating a rotor. The tablet feeder can prevent tablets, which are about to be discharged by slight rotation of the rotor, from being inadvertently discharged when the storage case is mounted on or dismounted from a support base. The storage case is detachably mounted on the support base. The rotor is mounted in a bottom portion of the storage case so as to be rotatable about a rotary shaft, and is coupled to a motor through rotary gears at its bottom end. A plurality of small magnets are provided on the outer circumference of the bottom portion, and small magnets are provided at a plurality of locations on the outer circumference of the rotor at predetermined intervals.

Abstract: A drug filling machine having a plurality of feeders containing a plurality of different kinds of drugs. A plurality of the drugs are discharged from one or some of the feeders into a vial. A sealing unit is provided for sealing the mouth of the vial with a transparent sheet. The sealing unit includes a sheet presser for pushing the transparent sheet into the mouth of the vial to form a sealing sheet having a tray-shaped section, a cutter for cutting the transparent sheet into a predetermined shape, and a heater for fusing the transparent sheet to the top end of the vial to seal the mouth of the vial. A method of inspecting the drugs contained in the vial includes preparing the transparent sheet a sealing portion for covering the mouth of the vial, and a printed portion that protrudes outwardly of the mouth of the vial. After inspecting the drugs in the vial, the printed portion is separated from the sealing portion, and a cap is secured on the mouth of the vial.

Abstract: A constant-rate ampule feed device which can smoothly and reliably feed packaged ampules one by one at a constant rate. In a container body, a storage space is formed that is capable of storing packaged ampules in a single row with their central trunk portions arranged in parallel to each other. On the inner surface of the storage space, protrusions elongated toward a dispensing port at the bottom end are provided. The trunk portions of the packaged ampules are guided by the protrusions so as to prevent clogging of the packaged ampules. A rotor is provided at the dispensing port. In the outer surface of the rotor, a groove for receiving part of a packaged ampule is formed. A step is formed on the inner surface of the groove. The step contacts the trunk portions of packaged ampules to prevent clogging of packaged ampules at the dispensing port when packaged ampules are dispensed.

Abstract: A device which can reduce the workload on operators during replenishment and stocktaking of drugs stored in a drug dispenser. The drug dispenser has a memory for storing data on the initial number of drugs in each of the drug feeders, a processor for calculating the number of drugs currently remaining in each drug feeder by subtracting the number of drugs discharged from each feeder from the initial number of drugs in each drug feeder, and a display for displaying the name of drugs if the number of drugs currently remaining in any drug feeder is smaller than a predetermined value. With this arrangement, an operator can easily see which drug feeders are short of drugs without directly checking the respective feeders by removing them from shelves. The workload on operators for drug replenishment is thus reduced.

Abstract: A drug inspection device which makes drug inspection work extremely easy and simple. The device includes a conveyor for feeding drugs packaged in bags according to prescription data, a camera for taking pictures of drugs in the bags being fed by the conveyor, a camera monitor for displaying one after another the pictures taken by the camera, and a graphic monitor for calling image data to be prescribed from a data base and displaying the thus called data. The picture of the drugs in each bag and the image data on drugs corresponding to the drugs in each bag are displayed simultaneously on the respective monitors for a predetermined time. By visually checking the monitors, a pharmacist can easily inspect drugs.

Abstract: A drug filling machine has a plurality of feeders containing a plurality of different kinds of drugs. A plurality of drugs are discharged from one or some or the feeders into a vial. A sealing unit is provided for sealing the mouth of the vial with a transparent sheet. The sealing unit includes a sheet presser for pushing the transparent sheet into the mouth of the vial to form a sealing sheet having a tray-shaped section, a cutter for cutting the transparent sheet into a predetermined shape, and a heater for fusing the transparent sheet to the top end of the vial to seal the mouth of the vial.

Abstract: An ampule transfer device for receiving ampules from a first conveyor and transferring them to a second conveyor. The device includes a stocker that is vertically movably mounted and a guide that is pivotally mounted. The stocker has a base member, an end member and a lid plate for closing the opening between the base member and the end member. The lid plate is biassed to its closed position. When the lid plate is disengaged from the base member due to movement of the member, the lid plate is fully opened under the weight of ampules. As the end member is moved in an opening direction, the ampules are gradually discharged toward the second conveyor.

Abstract: An apparatus and control method for feeding medications in which processing units, which can prepare drugs, non-drug articles and drug-related articles, are provided along a carrier feed line, and in which carriers for respective patients are fed on the feed line in the order in which preparations for carriers, preparations for medications, and preparation for receiving carriers are all finished so that a large amount of medications can be collected and delivered by carts to a plurality of wards in a hospital with high efficiency. When patient data is entered in a host computer, at least one of the processing units corresponding to this data is activated to prepare medications. When preparations in all of the processing units, tray feed units, and tray receiving unit have been made, a corresponding tray is fed on the conveyor to collect medications and is then loaded into a predetermined one of a plurality of carts.

Abstract: It is desired to prevent disalignment of the edges of a folded sheet by smoothly feeding the sheet while keeping tension fluctuations to a minimum when the sheet is unwound from a paper roll set in a paper feed unit to a packaging unit even though the paper roll diameter decreases gradually as the sheet is unwound. A sheet length measuring sensor or rotary encoder is provided in the paper feed path through which the packaging sheet unwound from the paper roll is fed toward the packaging unit. An angle sensor is provided which comprises Hall element sensors provide on a support shaft and magnets provided on a core pipe of the paper roll. Any change in the signals from one of these sensors relative to the signal from the other sensor is used to calculate the paper roll winding length, and the sheet tension is adjusted to an optimum, constant level by controlling the sheet braking force stepwise according to the roll diameter measured by the sensors.

Abstract: To prevent disalignment of the edges of a folded sheet by smoothly feeding the sheet to a packaging unit while keeping tension fluctuations to a minimum when the sheet is unwound from a paper roll set in a paper feed unit even though the paper roll diameter decreases gradually as the sheet is unwound. A sheet length measuring sensor or rotary encoder is provided in the paper feed path through which the packaging sheet is fed toward the packaging unit. An angle sensor is provided which includes Hall element sensors provided on a support shaft and magnets provided on a core pipe of the paper roll. Any change in the signals from one of these sensors relative to the signal from the other sensor is used to calculate the paper roll winding length, and the sheet tension is adjusted to an optimum, constant level by controlling the sheet braking force stepwise according to the roll diameter measured by the sensors.

Abstract: A bundling device which can wind and bundle a web of drug bags in such a way that patients can take their drugs in the right order with high reliability. The bundling device includes a winder unit having a rotary table provided along a feed path of a web of drug bags, a pair of protrusions provided on the rotary table near its circumference for hooking the tip of the web, and another pair of protrusions provided on the rotary table near its circumference, diametrically opposite the former protrusions, for winding the web as the rotary table rotates. When the rotary table rotates with the web engaged by the first pair of protrusions, the web is wound around the two pairs of protrusions.

Abstract: An ampule feeder which can store a necessary number of ampules at the outlet so that ampules can be instantly discharged one by one in response to a discharge signal from the ampule feeder in which are randomly stored many ampules. The ampule feeder has a detachably mounted ampule container having a bottom plate inclinable in one direction. Ampules raised by an ampule receiver are fed by an endless belt of a dispenser and a predetermined number of them are stored in grooves formed in a rotor of a discharge means provided at the outlet. In response to a discharge signal, a necessary number of ampules are discharged.

Abstract: A device which can reduce the workload on operators during replenishment and stocktaking of drugs stored in a drug dispenser. The drug dispenser has a memory for storing data on the initial number of drugs in each of the drug feeders, a processor for calculating the number of drugs currently remaining in each drug feeder by subtracting the number of drugs discharged from each feeder from the initial number of drugs in each drug feeder, and a display for displaying the name of drugs if the number of drugs currently remaining in any drug feeder is smaller than a predetermined value. With this arrangement, an operator can easily see which drug feeders are short of drugs without directly checking the respective feeders by removing them from shelves. The workload on operators for drug replenishment is thus reduced.

Abstract: A drug preparation system which can indicate which drug processing or inspection station or stations are busy so that drugs can be prepared in an optimum way. Patient data recorded on prescriptions received at a pharmacy reception is entered into a host computer through an input device. On command of the host computer, patient data are transferred to respective drug processing units. Each processing unit enters time data including drug preparation completion time into trays with a memory function for collecting drugs prepared. The drugs collected in each tray are inspected and sent to a drug pickup window, where the time data are transferred to a data processing unit. Based on the transferred data, a total processing time in each station is displayed on a display.

Abstract: A writing device for display members is provided which can erasably writing patient information on a display member carried on the side of a drug carrier and automatically attach and detach it to and from the carrier. The writing device has an attach/detach/transfer unit for detaching, attaching and transferring a rewrite card to a carrier carrying the rewrite card, and a writing means connected to the attach/detach/transfer means for writing and displaying patient information on the rewrite card. The respective means are controlled based on prescription information to attach and detach the rewrite card to and from the side of the carrier.

Abstract: To prevent disalignment of the edges of a folded sheet by smoothly feeding the sheet to a packaging unit while keeping tension fluctuations to a minimum when the sheet is unwound from a paper roll set in a paper feed unit even though the paper roll diameter decreases gradually as the sheet is unwound. A sheet length measuring sensor or rotary encoder is provided in the paper feed path through which the packaging sheet is fed toward the packaging unit. An angle sensor is provided which includes Hall element sensors provided on a support shaft and magnets provided on a core pipe of the paper roll. Any change in the signals from one of these sensors relative to the signal from the other sensor is used to calculate the paper roll winding length, and the sheet tension is adjusted to an optimum, constant level by controlling the sheet braking force stepwise according to the roll diameter measured by the sensors.