Pharmaceutical packaging apparatus, method of determining remaining quantity of pharmaceutical packaging paper and pharmaceutical packaging paper roll
Inventors
Yoshina, Katsunori • Sugimoto, Tomohiro • FUJII, Noriyoshi
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10227153-B2
Publication Date
2019-03-12
Expiration Date
Abstract
Medicine packaging apparatuses and methods for accurately determining a remaining sheet amount of a medicine packaging sheet are described. The apparatus includes: a roll support section to which a core tube of a medicine packaging sheet roll is attached; a sensor disposed in the roll support section for outputting a count value according to a rotation amount; a wireless reader-writer unit for writing information to a core tube IC tag and reading said information; an information generation section for generating information to be written to the core tube IC tag; a remaining sheet amount estimation section for estimating a current amount of remaining sheet based on the information and dimensional information of the core tube; and a controller which selectively performs an operation if a reference time-point count value is not yet written to the core tube IC tag and another operation if the count value is already written thereto.
Core Innovation
The invention concerns a medicine packaging apparatus that packages a medicine and makes a print using an ink ribbon roll and a medicine packaging sheet roll. The apparatus includes a gap making section that makes a first state in which a printing head and a backup section are opposed to each other, and a second state in which the printing head and the backup section are spaced farther apart than in the first state. In the second state, a winding controller controls winding of the ink ribbon to remove slack in the ink ribbon roll.
The apparatus further includes a controller that performs control of ink ribbon winding in the second state upon determination that there is a possibility for the medicine packaging sheet roll to be replaced. The determination is based on whether information can be read from a storage medium through an information reading section that reads information from the storage medium. The medicine packaging sheet roll has the storage medium in a core tube.
The storage medium in the core tube is used to enable remaining medicine-packaging-sheet quantity estimation by obtaining rotation amount information as the medicine packaging sheet is unwound. Reference time-point count values and later in-use time-point count values are written or updated to the core tube IC tag, using stored core-tube dimensional information such as diameter/radius or circumference. The remaining sheet amount is calculated from the reference/current count values and finished-package count, and the calculation avoids reliance on sheet thickness and variable trapped air layers.
The invention also addresses continuity across roll replacement and rapid adaptation when package length changes by updating the reference/current count values on the core tube IC tag. Additionally, integration with ink ribbon printing includes gap-state changing and ink-ribbon slack removal using ink-ribbon winding control, triggered when roll replacement is likely, such as when the core tube information is not readable or when end-of-roll or core-tube removal is detected.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim is clm-00001. Its inventive coverage includes three main elements: a two-state gap making section for a printing head and backup section, ink ribbon winding control that removes ink ribbon slack in a farther-spaced second state, and a controller that performs the second-state ink ribbon winding control when replacement of the medicine packaging sheet roll is possible based on inability to read storage-medium information via an information reading section; the medicine packaging sheet roll includes the storage medium in a core tube. Dependent claims clm-00002 and clm-00003 refine the storage medium contents and the core-tube structure placement of the storage medium.
Gap making section with first and second spaced states
A gap making section makes a first state in which a printing head and a backup section opposed thereto are spaced from each other, and a second state in which they are further spaced than in the first state.
Ink ribbon slack removal in the second state by winding control
A winding controller controls a winding of the ink ribbon to remove a slack in an ink ribbon in the ink ribbon roll in the second state.
Second-state ink ribbon winding upon possible sheet-roll replacement based on unread storage-medium information
A controller performs a control of the winding of the ink ribbon in the second state upon determination that there is a possibility for the medicine packaging sheet roll to be replaced, where the controller determines there is a possibility if the apparatus becomes unable to read information from a storage medium through an information reading section that reads information from the storage medium.
Storage medium disposed in a core tube
The medicine packaging sheet roll has the storage medium in a core tube.
Dimensional information of the core tube stored in the storage medium
The storage medium stores dimensional information of the core tube.
Core tube structure with inner/outer portions and storage medium in a gap
The core tube includes an inner tube portion and an outer tube portion, with the storage medium disposed in a gap between the inner tube portion and the outer tube portion.
Overall, the claims cover (i) forming a farther-spaced second state between a printing head and a backup section, (ii) controlling ink ribbon winding in that second state to remove slack, and (iii) triggering the second-state ink ribbon control when storage-medium information cannot be read because replacement of the medicine packaging sheet roll is possible, with the storage medium disposed in a core tube that stores core-tube dimensional information and is positioned in a gap between inner and outer tube portions.
Stated Advantages
Reduced tag memory needs by storing count-related reference/current values instead of remaining length.
Rapid adaptation when package length changes by updating reference/current count values.
Continuity across roll replacement by maintaining estimation based on core-tube stored information and updated count values.
Documented Applications
Medicine packaging in which a medicine packaging sheet roll is used to package a medicine and make a print using an ink ribbon roll, including estimation of remaining medicine-packaging-sheet quantity during use and ink ribbon slack removal when roll replacement is possible.
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