Medication Container and Medication Dispensing Apparatus

Abstract

A medication container and a medication dispensing apparatus are provided for allowing medications to smoothly fall from a medication discharge opening.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a medication dispensing apparatus for supplying patients with pills as medication specified in a prescription, and to a medication container for use in the medication dispensing apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART

Hospitals and pharmacies sometimes use a medication dispensing apparatus to supply patients with medications, particularly pills, specified in doctors' prescriptions. Such medication dispensing apparatus includes a medication container (also referred to as a “medication cassette”) detachably provided therein. As an example of the medication container, Patent Document 1 proposes the following technique.

The medication container disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a container body having: a bottom wall section that extends laterally; and a medication holding section rising from the bottom wall section, the medication holding section having therein a rotor rotatable about a vertical axis, the rotor having, on its cylindrical outer peripheral surface, medication holding passages that are circumferentially spaced, each extending vertically, the bottom wall section having a medication discharge opening that extends through the bottom wall section, and the rotor rotating to cause the medication discharge opening to vertically face one of the medication holding passages to communicate therewith.

The medication discharge opening is formed in the bottom wall in such a manner that its one end surface, extending vertically, is positioned immediately under the lower end of the inner peripheral surface of the medication holding section to inwardly face the other end surface of the medication discharge opening.

In the medication container with this structure, rotation of the rotor causes one of the medication holding passages to face the medication discharge opening, allowing medications to pass through the medication discharge opening to fall from the medication holding passage.

PRIOR ART DOCUMENT

Patent Document

• Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. Hei-10-314277

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

The above structure, however, can be problematic when medications do not fall smoothly from the medication discharge opening and stick to the back side of the bottom wall due to static charge. As a result, it is impossible to count the number of times medications are discharged from the medication discharge opening.

The problem of medications sticking to the back side of the bottom wall due to static charge is particularly likely to occur when the medication container is dried to prevent medications from absorbing moisture or when medications to be handled are lightweight.

In view of the above problem, it is an object of the present invention to provide a medication container and a medication dispensing apparatus that allow medications to fall smoothly from the medication discharge opening.

Means to Solve the Problem

The medication container of the present invention includes: a container body having: a bottom wall section; and a medication holding section disposed on the upper surface of the bottom wall section, the medication holding section having: a cylindrical body rising from the upper surface of the bottom wall section, the cylindrical body being configured to allow a rotor to be disposed radially inside, the rotor being rotatable about a vertical axis, the rotor having: a medication holding passage, formed vertically by recessing a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the rotor radially inward; the bottom wall section having: a medication discharge opening formed in a portion of the bottom wall section to allow medications to fall to be discharged through the medication discharge opening, and the rotor rotating to cause the medication holding passage and the medication discharge opening to vertically face each other to allow medications held in the medication holding passage to pass through the medication discharge opening to fall therefrom, wherein a wall in a radially outward area of the medication discharge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall section.

In the above arrangement, when the rotor rotates about the vertical axis to allow the medication holding passage and the medication discharge opening to vertically face each other, medications held in the medication holding passage are moved toward the medication discharge opening so as to pass therethrough (fall).

In this structure, in which the radially outer wall of the medication discharge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall, the medication discharge opening has a larger opening area at its lower end than at an upper portion. This means medications, when passing through the medication discharge opening to fall, come into contact with less area of the wall of the medication discharge opening at the lower end of the wall, which results in the medications being less likely to stick to the back side of the bottom wall in an radially outer area of the medication discharge opening even when they are electrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which a radially outer portion of the medication discharge opening is positioned radially outward of the outer surface of the cylindrical body.

According to this structure, the radially outer portion of the medication discharge opening is configured to be further expanded, so that medications are less likely to stick to the back side of the bottom wall in the area radially outward of the medication discharge opening even when they are electrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which a cutout is formed at a lower end of the cylindrical body to be recessed upward to be continuous with the medication discharge opening.

The inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body can serve as a guide surface for medications falling from the medication holding passage to the medication discharge opening. Thus, it is possible to have a guide surface for medications falling, while at the same time allowing medications to be in contact with less area of the container body immediately before they pass through the medication discharge opening because of the cutout formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body to be recessed upward, and hence the medications to be less likely to stick to the back side of the bottom wall in the area radially outward of the medication discharge opening even when they are electrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which the upper surface of the cutout is positioned higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall section.

In the above structure, after medications fall to reach the cutout, they are in contact with significantly less area of the container body, which results in the medications being less likely to stick to the back side of the bottom wall section in the area radially outward of the medication discharge opening even when they are electrostatically charged.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which a cover is provided for covering the medication discharge opening and the cutout from radially outside of the cylindrical body.

This structure prevents dust or the like from coming in from radially outside of the cutout and the medication discharge opening.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which the upper surface of the cutout is an uneven surface in which recesses and projections are alternately formed.

According to this structure, air comes into the uneven surface, which results in preventing medications from easily sticking to the upper surface of the cutout even if force is applied for medications to stick to the upper surface due to static charge.

The medication container of the present invention may have a structure in which a medication discharge opening is formed into a substantially rectangular shape as viewed in plan, and the outer wall as an radially outward wall of the medication discharge opening and the inner wall at an radially inward portion face each other in the radially inward and outward direction.

The rectangular shape of the medication discharge opening enables, because of its simplicity, easier production of medication containers.

As used herein, the term “radially inward and outward” is defined with respect to the center of the cylindrical body. That is, the term “radially inward” refers to the direction toward the center of the cylindrical body, and the term “radially outward” refers to the direction away from the center of the cylindrical body.

The medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention may include any one of the above-described medication containers in an attachable and detachable manner.

Advantages of the Invention

The medication container and the medication dispensing apparatus of the present invention have an advantage in that: When a rotor rotates about a vertical axis to allow the medication holding passage and the medication discharge opening to vertically face each other and medications held in the medication holding passage are moved to the medication discharge opening to pass therethrough (fall), it is possible to effectively prevent the medications from sticking to the back side of the bottom wall in the area radially outward of the medication discharge opening, even if medications are electrostatically charged. This is made possible because the wall of the radially outer portion of the medication discharge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical portion meets the upper surface of the bottom wall, which results in a larger opening space at the lower end than at an upper portion so that medications are less likely to come into contact with the wall of the medication discharge opening.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged side view of a medication dispensing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medication dispensing apparatus with a number of medication containers attached to its body.

FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of one of the medication containers.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed from front and above.

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the medication container through the center in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed from below.

FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the medication container as viewed from below.

FIG. 8 is an overall plan view of the medication container.

FIG. 9 is a lateral cross sectional view of the medication container at a location of a separator.

FIG. 10 is a perspective vertical cross sectional view of the medication container through the center in the circumferential direction.

FIG. 11 is a front cross sectional view of the medication container at a location of a medication discharge opening.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed from rear.

FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the medication container.

FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged bottom view of the medication container.

FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the medication container as viewed from arrow A-A of FIG. 3.

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to yet another embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to another embodiment.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to still another embodiment.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged sectional view of an essential part of the medication container according to yet another embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The medication dispensing apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged side view of the medication dispensing apparatus, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the medication dispensing apparatus with a number of medication containers attached to its body, and FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged sectional view of one of the medication containers.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the medication dispensing apparatus 1 includes: a body 2 having a cylindrical shape; supports 3 each having a fan shape, provided in large numbers, the supports 3 projecting radially from the body 2 in the horizontal direction; and medication containers 4 (also referred to as “medication cassettes”) arranged on the supports 3 by being housed between the vertically adjacent supports 3, the medication containers 4 being attachable and detachable by its back and forth movement relative to the body 2

The supports 3 each are formed into a plate shape, and each have pill passage holes (not shown) on the plate surfaces to allow pills 5 as medications (cf., FIG. 3) to fall toward a lower end of the body 2. A detector such as a sensor (not shown) is provided on an inner surface of the pill passage hole to detect the passing of the pills 5.

A structure of the medication container 4 is now described. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed from front and above, FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view of the medication container through the center in the circumferential direction, FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the medication container as viewed from below, and FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged perspective view of the medication container as viewed from below.

As shown in these Figures, the medication container 4 includes: a container body 6; a rotor 8 rotatable about a vertical axis 7 (a vertical direction axis line); a separator 10 for allowing pills 5 to fall one by one to the lower end of the body 2; a gear (a spur gear according to an embodiment) attached to the lower end of a rotating shaft, which is a rotation center member of the rotor 8; and a guide roller 11 for guiding the attachment and detachment of the medication containers to and from the supports 3.

The container body 6 includes: a bottom wall section 12 having a fan shape as viewed in plan; and a medication holding section 14 formed integrally on an upper surface of a bottom wall plate 13 of the bottom wall section 12.

The bottom wall section 12 includes: the bottom wall plate 13 having a fan shape as viewed in plan; lateral frames 15 that are integrally formed with the bottom plate 13 on both side ends in the circumferential direction, each extending along the front and back direction; and a front frame 16 that is integrally formed with the bottom wall plate 13 on the front end side, extending along the circumferential direction.

The lateral frames 15 and the front frame 16 have the same, predetermined height. With the container body 6 attached onto the upper surface of the support 3, the bottom wall plate 13 is kept away from the upper surface of the support 3 by a distance equivalent to the height of the lateral frames 15 and the front frame 16.

The medication holding section 14 integrally includes: a cylindrical body 17 as a lower holder rising upward in the vertical direction from an upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13, the cylindrical body 17 being configured to allow the rotor 8 to be mounted within its inner circumferential side; and an upper holder 18 having a fan shape as viewed in plan, disposed on the cylindrical body 17. The bottom surface of the upper holder 18 is composed of an inclined wall 20 that is inclined downward toward the upper end of the cylindrical body 17.

The cylindrical body 17 is provided with a grip 21 in front, which is to be held during attachment or detachment of the medication container 4.

The wall plate 13 has a medication discharge opening 22 having a rectangular shape as viewed in plan, in the area behind the circumferential center, and the medication discharge opening 22 vertically faces the pill passage holes.

A cylindrical projecting portion 23 is integrally formed with the wall plate 13 to project upward therefrom, in the central area of the cylindrical body 17, in front of the medication discharge opening 22, and the rotating shaft is inserted into the cylindrical projecting portion 23 from above to pass therethrough.

A structure of the separator 10 is now described. FIG. 8 is an overall plan view of the medication container 4, FIG. 9 is a lateral cross sectional view of the medication container at a location of the separator 10, FIG. 10 is a perspective vertical sectional view of the medication container through the center in the circumferential direction, and FIG. 11 is a front cross sectional view of the medication container at a location of the medication discharge opening 22.

The separator 10 is intended to ensure that a predetermined number (one in this case) of pills 5 are dropped, of those stored in a later-described medication holding passage 24 toward the medication discharge opening 22.

The separator 10 is disposed in an insertion hole 25 circumferentially formed in a rear wall of the cylindrical body 17, to extend from back to front so as to be exposed within the cylindrical body 17. The separator 10 has a base portion 26 disposed outside the cylindrical body 17. The base portion 26 is, at its one side, detachably attached with screws 28 to a support projection 27, which projects backward from an area of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 17, close to one of its side ends.

The upper surface of the exposed portion of the separator 10, which is exposed within the cylindrical body 17, is made up of an inclined guide surface 30 that is inclined upward from upstream to downstream in the rotating direction of the rotor 8 and a horizontal surface 31 positioned downstream of the inclined guide surface 30.

A structure of the rotor 8 is now described. The rotor 8 includes a lower rotating member 32 and an upper rotating member 33. The rotating shaft includes an outer shaft member 34 disposed in the lower rotating member 32 and an inner shaft member 35 disposed in the upper rotating member 33.

The lower rotating member 32 has the outer shaft member 34 fitted into the cylindrical projecting portion 23 from above and projecting downward with respect to the bottom wall plate 13. The upper rotating member 33 has the inner shaft member 35 fitted into the outer shaft member 34 from above and projecting downward with respect to the bottom wall plate 13.

The lower rotating member 32 is formed into a disc shape, and the upper rotating member 33 is placed on the upper surface of the lower rotating member 32 in such a manner that the bottom surface of the upper rotating member 33 is slidable in the circumferential direction. The diameter of the lower rotating member 32 is sized to be slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the inner circumference 36 of the cylindrical body 17.

The lower rotating member 32 has, in its radial center, a protruding portion 40 fitted into the bottom surface recessed portion 38 that is formed at the center of the back surface of the upper rotating member 33. The outer shaft member 34 is integrally formed with the protruding portion 40, to extend from radially inward of the protruding portion 40 to downward.

The outer shaft member 34 has, as the aforesaid gear, a large-diameter gear 41, externally fitted, at its lower end below the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13.

A locking portion 39a of a leaf spring 39 comes into locking engagement with the gear teeth of the large-diameter gear 41 from the lateral side so as to prevent unexpected rotation of the lower rotating member 32.

The lower rotating member 32 has a plurality of medication holding passages 24, each of which extends vertically, on its outer circumferential surface. The medication holding passages 24 are formed by recessing radially inward the outer circumferential surface of the lower rotating member 32 at a circumferentially equal interval.

The circumferential width and the height of the medication holding passages 24 are defined to hold only one of the pills 5.

The top surface of the upper rotating member 33 is of a substantially conical shape, with a portion thereof being cut to provide an inclined flat surface 44 that is inclined downward in the radially outward direction.

The upper rotating member 33 is disposed relative to the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 with gaps interposed therebetween, through which the pills can fall. In other words, the outer peripheral side 33a of the upper rotating member 33 faces the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 in the radially inward and outward direction with the gaps 19 interposed therebetween. The radial width of each gap 19 is almost equal to the radial width of the medication holding passage 24.

Such structure of the upper rotating member 33 allows the pills 5, when placed on the top surface of the upper rotating member 33, to slip off in an obliquely downward direction along the top surface or the inclined flat surface 44, so as to be received by the medication holding passage 24.

The upper rotating member 33 has the inner shaft member 35 provided along the vertical direction in the radial center of the bottom surface recessed portion 38.

The inner shaft member 35 is fitted into the outer shaft member 34, extending through the bottom wall plate 13, with its lower end positioned below the lower end of the outer shaft member 34. The inner shaft member 35 has a small-diameter gear 45 that is externally fitted to its lower end. The diameter of the small-diameter gear 45 is smaller than that of the large-diameter gear 41.

As described, the outer shaft member 34 and the inner shaft member 35 have gears having different diameters attached thereto. This allows the upper rotating member 33 and the lower rotating member 32 to rotate about the vertical axis 7 at different speeds when the medication container 4 is attached onto the support 3 and the gears are rotated.

A coil spring 48 (a compression spring), as an example of an elastic body, is arranged to be externally mounted to the cylindrical projecting portion 23, using the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13 and the inside surface 47 of the protruding portion 40 as spring sheets. The elasticity of the coil spring 48 causes the rotor 8 to be biased toward the direction in which the rotor 8 is kept away from the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13. The coil spring 48 expands and contracts according to the weight depending on the amount of the pills 5. At least when there are no pills 5 on the rotor 8, the bottom surface of the rotor 8 is kept slightly above the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the medication container 4 as viewed from rear, FIG. 13 is a bottom view of the medication container 4, FIG. 14 is a partially enlarged bottom view of the medication container 4, and FIG. 15 is a cross sectional view of the medication container 4 as viewed from arrows A-A of FIG. 3.

With reference to these Figures as well as FIGS. 3, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11, a structure of the medication discharge opening 22 and its peripheral portions is described below in more detail.

As described above, the medication discharge opening 22 is bored to have a rectangular shape as viewed in plan. The front wall 50 and the rear wall 51, which form the medication discharge opening 22, face each other in the front and back direction, and two side walls 52, 53 face each other in the right and left direction.

A position P1 of the front wall 50 is now described. The front wall 50 has a vertical surface. The front wail 50 is positioned closer to the center (closer to the vertical axis 7), with respect to a virtual circle that would be drawn with the vertical axis 7, which is the rotation center of the rotor 8, as its center, and radially inner surfaces 55 of the medication holding passages 24 continued to each other.

A position P2 of the rear wall 51 is now described. The rear wall 51 has a vertical surface. The rear wall 51 is positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17, with the vertical axis 7, which is the rotation center of the rotor 8, as the center. That is, the rear wall 51 is positioned behind a meeting position P3 where an inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 meets the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13 (positioned radially outward of the rotor 8).

The amount of positional displacement is not particularly specified, but preferably, it may be appropriately determined depending on conditions such as the shape, diameter and size of the pills 5 to be handled.

The side walls 52 and 53 each have a vertical surface. The distance between them in the right and left direction is set to be larger than the circumferential width of the medication holding passage 24.

A cutout 56 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 17, in the area vertically corresponding to the medication discharge opening 22. The cutout 56 is recessed upward so as to be continuous with the medication discharge opening 22.

Since the cutout 56 is upwardly recessed to be continuous with the medication discharge opening 22, it is apparent that the upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56 is positioned higher than the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13. The upper wall surface 57 is a flat surface.

A cover 58 is provided for covering the medication discharge opening 22 and the cutout 56 from radially outside of the cylindrical body 17.

The cover 58 has a rising wall 60 and an extension wall 61. The rising wall 60 has an inner wall surface 62 rising upward from the position of the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22. The extension wall 61 has a lower wall surface 63 extending backward from the position of the upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56. The right and left sides of the rising wall 60 and the extension wall 61, of the cover 58 are closed with vertical wall pieces 64.

The cover 58 with this structure is integrally formed with the cylindrical body 17 and the bottom wall plate 13.

The upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56 and the lower wall surface 63 of the extension wall 61 are uneven surfaces in which recesses and projections are alternately formed in the circumferential direction. Recessed and projecting portions 63a, 63b, which constitute the uneven surfaces, each extend in the radially inward and outward direction (front and back direction) across the uneven surfaces.

In the medication dispensing apparatus 1 having the above structure, a cover 4A of the medication container 4 is opened for the pills 5 to be thrown from the upper holder 18 into the container body 6, and then the cover 4A is closed. Subsequently, the medication container 4 is attached backward with respect to the support 3, causing the front end of a pressing wall 49, which is formed on a rear end of the upper surface of the support 3, to press the tip end of the leaf spring 39. This allows the leaf spring 39 to bow toward its base portion, disengaging the locking portion 39a of the leaf spring 39 from the teeth of the large-diameter gear 41 with which it engages, so as to be released from the locked state. Then, a driving gear (not shown) meshes with the small-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41, enabling the small-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41 to rotate about the vertical axis 7.

When the driving gear is rotationally driven in this state, the small-diameter gear 45 and the large-diameter gear 41 rotate about the outer shaft member 34 and the inner shaft member 35, respectively, at different speeds, which hence allows the lower rotating member 32 and the upper rotating member 33 of the rotor 8 to rotate about the vertical axis 7, together with the outer shaft member 34 and the inner shaft member 35, at different speeds. The rotation at different speeds of the lower rotating member 32 and the upper rotating member 33 of the rotor 8 allows the thrown-in pills 5 to be sufficiently stirred to be fed into the medication holding passage 24.

When the pills 5 are vertically aligned relative to the medication holding passage 24, the pills 5 above the separator 10 are separated from the lower one (which is held within the medication holding passage 24) by the separator 10 in such a manner that the separator 10 scoops the upper ones. Then, when the medication holding passage 24 with the pill 5 therein faces the medication discharge opening 22 in the vertical direction, the pill 5 falls toward the medication discharge opening 22 from the medication holding passage 24. In this case, the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 can serve as a guide surface for guiding the fall of the pill 5.

The front wall 50 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positioned in front of the radially inner surface 55 of the medication holding passage 24, and the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positioned behind the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17. With this arrangement, it is possible to prevent the pills 5 from coming into contact with the front wall 50 or the rear wall 51 when they reach the medication discharge opening 22.

Thus, even when the pill 5 has been electrically charged (electrostatically charged) by the stirring as described above or the like, it is possible to effectively avoid the problem that the pills 5 stick to the back side 13b of the bottom wall plate 13 due to static charge and hence cannot easily fall to the pill passage hole, thanks to the arrangement in which the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13, to which pills 5 generally tend to stick, is positioned apart from the pills 5.

Furthermore, the rear wall 51 is positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17, and the cutout 56, which is continuous with the medication discharge opening 22, is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 17. Even in this structure, the cover 58, covering a portion of the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22 and the cutout 56 at their rear sides, can effectively prevent dust from entering into the cylindrical body 17 through the portion of the rear wall 51 and the cutout 56.

As a means to prevent the pills 5 from sticking to the container body 6 due to static charge and allow them to fall smoothly from the medication discharge opening 22, the embodiments described above with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 15 has the structure in which the rear wall 51 is positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17 (radially outward of the cylindrical body 17) and the cutout 56 is formed at the lower end of the cylindrical body 17 to be continuous with the medication discharge opening 22.

It is to be understood, however, that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

For example, as shown in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 16, the cutout 56 may not necessarily be provided. Alternatively, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the rear wall 51 is further positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17.

In another embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 17, the rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17. In this embodiment, however, the medication discharge opening 22 is formed to pass through the bottom wall plate 13 only in the area in front of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17, while the area in back of the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 is formed to be a recessed portion 70 where the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13 is recessed upward. In this structure, the medication discharge opening 22 has a horizontal, stepped surface 71 that constitutes the recessed portion 70 between the upper surface 13a and the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13 in the area close to the rear wall surface 51 of the medication discharge opening 22.

In another embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 18, the cylindrical body 17 is configured to have an inclined wall portion 72, which is formed by inclining downward (radially outward) the lower end of the cylindrical body 17 in the area that constitutes the medication discharge opening 22, so that the diameter of the lower portion of the cylindrical body 17 is extended backward. The rear wall 51 of the medication discharge opening 22 is positioned to be aligned with the lower end of the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclined wall portion 72, so as to be formed in the vertical direction.

The embodiment illustrated in the enlarged sectional view of FIG. 19 is different from the embodiment of FIG. 18 in that the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclined wall portion 72 is further extended at the same inclination angle, so that the lower end of the inner peripheral surface 73 serves as an inclined rear wall 51.

Still other embodiments are illustrated in the enlarged sectional views of FIGS. 20 and 21. In either of the embodiments, the upper end of the rear wall 51 is positioned aligned with the meeting position P3 where the inner peripheral surface 36 of the cylindrical body 17 meets the upper surface 13a of the bottom wall plate 13. In the examples shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the rear wall 51, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of the meeting position P3.

In the example of FIG. 20, the rear wall 51 has an inclined surface that is inclined backward toward the lower end.

In the example of FIG. 21, the rear wall 51 has a circular surface, with its lower end positioned backward.

The embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 16 to 21 have the same structure as those of FIGS. 1 to 15 except for the means for preventing the pills 5 from sticking to the container body 6 due to static charge and ensuring smooth falling of the pills 5 from the medication discharge opening 22. Accordingly, like reference numerals and symbols are used in FIGS. 16 to 21 as those used in FIGS. 1 to 15, and a detailed description thereof is omitted.

In any of the above embodiments, the rear wall 51, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of the meeting position P3. This structure ensures that the pills, as long as they reach the medication discharge opening 22, are in contact with less area of the circumferential walls of the medication discharge opening 22 in the backward area than in the case with conventional dispensing apparatus. Because of this, even when the pills 5 are electrically charged, they are less likely to stick to the lower surface 13b of the bottom wall plate 13 in the area behind the medication discharge opening 22.

Thus, the pills 5 smoothly fall from the medication discharge opening 22 to reach the pill passage holes, and when they pass the pill passage holes, a sensor detects the discharge of the pills 5, so as to reliably dispense the pills 5.

In all of the above embodiments, the rear wall 51, at least at its lower end, is positioned behind (radially outward of) the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17. However, this is not necessarily required, and it is only necessary that the rear wall 51, at least at its lower end, be positioned radially outward of the meeting position P3. Specifically, the rear wall 51 may have any of a vertical surface, an inclined surface and a circular surface, and the lower end thereof may not necessarily be positioned behind the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17, but may be positioned at a location corresponding to somewhere between the inner peripheral surface 36 and the outer peripheral surface 42 of the cylindrical body 17.

Furthermore, in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 15, the upper wall surface 57 of the cutout 56 and the lower wall 63 of the extension wall 61 have uneven surfaces in which recesses and projections are alternately formed in the circumferential direction. The recessed and projecting portions 63a and 63b, which constitute the uneven surfaces, form streaks in the radially inward and outward direction across the uneven surfaces.

However, the recessed and projecting portions 63a and 63b, which constitute the uneven surfaces, may not necessarily extend in the radially inward and outward direction, but may extend in the circumferential or the right and left direction. It is also preferable that the recessed and projecting portions 63a and 63b be formed in a direction in which they are inclined with respect to the radially inward and outward direction (front and back direction), and that they be arranged to be like a mesh. Furthermore, the uneven surfaces may be engraved or textured to have a textured surface with a large number of dimples (e.g., minute recesses), rather than a streaked surface.

Furthermore, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 16, the uneven surface is preferably formed on the lower surface of the cylindrical body 17 at the portion that faces the medication discharge opening 22.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 17, the uneven surface is preferably formed on the stepped surface 71.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 18, the uneven surface is preferably formed on the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclined wall portion 72.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 19, the uneven surface is preferably formed on the inner peripheral surface 73 of the inclined wall portion 72.

In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 20 and 21, the uneven surface is preferably formed on the rear wall 51, a portion of the lower end of the cylindrical body 17 in these embodiments, which constitutes the medication discharge opening 22.

By providing the uneven surface as described above, it is possible to more reliably cause the pills 5 to fall from the medication discharge opening 22 even when they are electrically charged.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE CODES

1: medication dispensing apparatus, 2: body, 3: support, 4: medication container, 5: pill, 6: container body, 8: rotor, 12: bottom wall section, 13: bottom wall plate, 13a: upper surface, 13b: lower surface, 14: medication holding section, 17: cylindrical body, 18: upper holder, 22: medication discharge opening, 24: medication holding passage, 36: inner peripheral surface, 42: outer peripheral surface, 50: front wall, 51: rear wall, 52, 53: side wall, 55: radially inner surface, 56: cutout, 57: upper wall surface, 58: cover, 60: rising wall, 61: extension wall, 62: inner wall, 63: lower wall, 63a, 63b: recessed and projecting portions, 64: vertical wall piece, 70: recessed portion, 71: stepped surface, 72: inclined wall portion, 73: inner peripheral surface, P3: meeting position

Claims

1. A medication container, comprising:

a container body having a bottom wall section and a medication holding section disposed on an upper surface of the bottom wall section, the medication holding section having a cylindrical body rising from the upper surface of the bottom wall section, the cylindrical body being configured to allow a rotor to be disposed radially inside, and the rotor being rotatable about a vertical axis, the rotor having a medication holding passage formed vertically by recessing a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the rotor radially inward; the bottom wall section having a medication discharge opening formed in a portion of the bottom wall section to allow medications to fall to be discharged through the medication discharge opening, and the rotor rotating to cause the medication holding passage and the medication discharge opening to vertically face each other to allow medications held in the medication holding passage to pass through the medication discharge opening to fall therefrom, wherein a wall in a radially outward area of the medication discharge opening, at least at its lower end, is positioned radially outward of a meeting position where an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body meets the upper surface of the bottom wall section.

2. The medication container according to claim 1, wherein a radially outer portion of the medication discharge opening is positioned radially outward of the outer surface of the cylindrical body.

3. The medication container according to claim 1, wherein a cutout is formed at a lower end of the cylindrical body to be recessed upward to be continuous with the medication discharge opening.

4. The medication container according to claim 3, wherein an upper surface of the cutout is positioned higher than the upper surface of the bottom wall section.

5. The medication container according to claim 4, wherein a cover is provided for covering the medication discharge opening and the cutout from radially outside of the cylindrical body.

6. The medication container according to claim 3, wherein an upper surface of the cutout is an uneven surface in which recesses and projections are alternately formed.

7. The medication container according to claim 1, wherein the medication discharge opening is formed to have a substantially rectangular shape as viewed in plan, and an outer wall as a radially outward wall of the medication discharge opening and an inner wall at a radially inward portion face each other in the radially inward and outward direction.

8. A medication dispensing apparatus including the medication container according to claim 1 in an attachable and detachable manner.