Tablet supplying and packaging apparatus

Abstract

A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus comprises a controller, a cassette unit having a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows, a turntable having a plurality of tablet containers, and a packaging unit disposed below the cassette unit and the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from said tablet cassettes and said tablet containers into a plurality of tablet paper bags by the controller.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A tablet supplying and packaging apparatus, comprising: a) a controller controlling an operation of the apparatus; b) a cassette unit defined by a width and a height, wherein the cassette unit has a cassette rack and a plurality of tablet cassettes detachably mounted on the cassette rack in columns and rows, wherein said tablet cassettes each release a predetermined amount of tablets therefrom in accordance with the controller; 
 c) a turntable having a center and a plurality of tablet containers disposed around the center, wherein said each tablet container is defined by side walls, a top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the turntable is disposed lower in level than a lowermost row of the tablet cassettes and in front of the cassette unit, wherein one or more tablets manually distributed in at least one of said tablet containers are downwardly released in accordance with the controller; and    d) a packaging unit disposed below the cassette unit and the turntable for packaging the tablets selectively released from said tablet cassettes and said tablet containers into a plurality of tablet paper bags in accordance with the controller.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a hopper disposed between the packaging unit and both of the turntable and the lowermost cassette row of the tablet cassettes to guide the tablets from the turntable and the tablet cassettes to the packaging unit.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller is wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the controller comprises: 
 a) a monitor screen to input a prescription information and display the operation of the apparatus a prescription processing;  
 b) a processor to administer a tablet release of the tablet cassettes and the turntable, and a tablet packaging and external discharge of the packaging unit, in accordance with the prescription information input through the monitor screen.  
 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the controller is wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the prescription information is input to the monitor screen through internet.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the packaging unit comprises: 
 a) a printer to print the prescription information on a packaging paper; and  
 b) a heating perforator to heatingly seal the packaging paper into the tablet paper bags containing the tablets released from the turntable and the tablet cassettes, and sequentially perforate the tablet-containing paper bags easy detachment of the tablet paper bags.  
 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the controller is wireless-accessed to enable a remote controlling.  
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the prescription information is input to the monitor screen through the internet.