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-11518637-B2
Publication Date
2022-12-06
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 relates to a pharmaceutical medicine packaging apparatus that accurately estimates a remaining medicine-packaging sheet quantity. The apparatus generates photo sensor count values by sensing core-tube rotation at a reference time-point and at subsequent packaging sheet in-use time-points, thereby obtaining rotation amount information over use time.
The apparatus writes and reads the photo sensor count values and dimensional information of the core tube to and from a core tube IC tag, and computes the remaining sheet amount using mathematical relationships based on core tube diameter/circumference, sheet thickness, and used-sheet counts. The computation includes eliminating air-layer/thickness uncertainty and updating and overwriting stored count data according to whether reference/in-use count values are already stored.
The invention further includes control for packaging and inprinting using an ink ribbon. A gap making section provides a first state and a second state in which a printing head and a backup section are spaced by a first distance or a second distance longer than the first distance, and a winding controller controls winding of the ink ribbon to remove slack in the second state.
Claims Coverage
The provided independent claims cover a medicine packaging apparatus that performs inprinting using an ink ribbon roll and a medicine packaging sheet roll, where a controller selectively switches printing-head spacing states and controls ink ribbon winding based on a determination of replacement possibility. The inventive features are distributed across one core independent claim and refined in dependent claims by adding specific replacement-trigger detections.
Gap making section with first and second states
A gap making section makes a first state in which a printing head and a backup section are spaced from each other by a first distance, and a second state in which they are spaced from each other by a second distance longer than the first distance.
Winding controller for removing ink ribbon slack in the second state
A winding controller controls winding of the ink ribbon to remove slack in the ink ribbon in the ink ribbon roll in the second state.
Controller switching to the second state upon determination of replacement possibility
A controller makes the second state and performs a control of the winding of the ink ribbon upon determination that there is a possibility for the ink ribbon roll to be replaced.
Movable printing-and-packaging unit trigger for replacement possibility
The controller detects that a printing-and-packaging unit is moved from a main body to a front side, and upon determining that there is a possibility for the medicine packaging sheet roll to be replaced, sets the second state and controls winding of the ink ribbon.
Detection section for end of ink ribbon roll
A detection section detects an end of the ink ribbon roll, and the controller determines that ink ribbon replacement is possible after detecting the ribbon end.
Across the independent claim and its dependents, the apparatus is characterized by a gap making section providing two head-spacing states, a winding controller that removes ink ribbon slack in the second state, and a controller that activates the second state based on replacement possibility, with refinements that use movement of a movable printing-and-packaging unit and/or detection of an end of the ink ribbon roll to decide replacement possibility.
Stated Advantages
Avoiding waste by determining whether replacement is possible.
Documented Applications
Packaging medicine and making a print by using an ink ribbon roll and a medicine packaging sheet roll.
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