Tablet cassette cabinet assembly for automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system

Abstract

An automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system includes a tablet packaging unit, a base cabinet, a swing cabinet, tablet cassettes in each cabinet and tablet passages for dropping tablets. The base cabinet is mounted on top of the packaging unit. The swing cabinet is swingably engaged to the base cabinet so the swing cabinet becomes swingable to and from the front surface of the base cabinet, whereby the first swing cabinet is attached to and swiveled on the base cabinet to open when required. The tablet cassettes are detachably racked in said each cabinet in columns and rows. When the swing cabinet is swung open, the tablet passages of the swing cabinet are externally exposed to facilitate either cleaning or vacuuming of the tablet passages.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system, comprising: 
 a) a tablet packaging unit having an upper portion;    b) a base cabinet having a front surface and side ends, wherein the base cabinet is mounted on top of the upper portion of the tablet packaging unit;    c) a first swing cabinet having a rear surface and side edges, wherein a selected one of the side edges is swingably engaged to one of the side ends of the base cabinet so that the first swing cabinet becomes swingable to and from the front surface of the base cabinet, whereby the first swing cabinet is attached to and swiveled on the base cabinet to open when required;    d) a plurality of tablet cassettes each containing therein and dropping therefrom a predetermined number of tablets, wherein the tablet cassettes are detachably racked in said each cabinet in columns and rows; and    e) a plurality of upright tablet passages attached to said each cabinet to communicate with the tablet cassettes in said each cabinet, wherein the upright tablet passages are aligned with the tablet cassette columns to facilitate the tablet guidance from the tablet cassettes into the tablet packaging unit, wherein when the first swing cabinet is swung open the upright tablet passages of the first swing cabinet are externally exposed to facilitate either cleaning or vacuuming of the tablet passages.    
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a) a guide hopper disposed beneath the cabinets into the tablet packaging unit so as to guide the tablets selectively dropped from the tablet cassettes into the tablet packaging unit; and  
 b) a controller to administer the tablet dropping from the tablet cassettes and the tablet packaging in the tablet packaging unit.  
 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first swing cabinet is foldable so that the rear surface of the first swing cabinet can be overlapped to itself when folded.  
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the first swing cabinet is hingedly connected to the base cabinet.  
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the upright tablet passages for the base cabinet are aligned in columns along the front surface of the base cabinet to facilitate cleaning and vacuuming thereof.  
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least a second swing cabinet having a rear surface and side edges, wherein a selected one of the side edges of the second swing cabinet is swingably engaged to the selected one of the side edges of the first swing cabinet, whereby the second swing cabinet is swiveled on the first swing cabinet.  
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6  wherein the second swing cabinet is foldable so that the rear surface of the second swing cabinet can be overlapped to itself when folded.  
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the tablet packaging unit comprises: 
 a) a printer to print respective information on a packaging paper; and  
 b) a heater assembly to package the tablets released through the hopper into one or more partitioned paper bags using the packaging paper.  
 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  wherein a magnetic holder is formed on a central upper portion of the base cabinet to facilitate opening and closing of the swing cabinet.  
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  wherein the magnetic holder is elastic.  
     
     
         11 . An automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system, comprising: 
 a) a tablet packaging unit having an upper portion;    b) a base cabinet having a front surface and side ends, wherein the base cabinet is mounted on top of the upper portion of the tablet packaging unit;    c) first and second swing cabinets each defined by a front surface, a rear surface, an inner side end and an outer side end, wherein said each swing cabinet is linearly aligned such that the inner side ends of the swing cabinets approach each other, wherein one of the side ends of said each swing cabinet is swingably engaged to the base cabinet so that the first and second swing cabinets become swingable to and from the front surface of the base cabinet, whereby the first swing cabinet is attached to and swiveled on the base cabinet to open when required;    d) a plurality of tablet cassettes each containing therein and dropping therefrom a predetermined number of tablets, wherein the tablet cassettes are detachably racked in said each cabinet in columns and rows; and    e) a plurality of upright tablet passages attached to said each cabinet to communicate with the tablet cassettes in said each cabinet, wherein the upright tablet passages are aligned with the tablet cassette columns to facilitate the tablet guidance from the tablet cassettes into the tablet packaging unit, wherein when the first swing cabinet is swung open the upright tablet passages of the first swing cabinet are externally exposed to facilitate either cleaning or vacuuming of the tablet passages.    
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising: 
 a) a guide hopper disposed beneath the cabinets into the tablet packaging unit so as to guide the tablets selectively dropped from the tablet cassettes into the tablet packaging unit; and  
 b) a controller to administer the tablet dropping from the tablet cassettes and the tablet packaging in the tablet packaging unit.  
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first and second swing cabinets are hingedly connected to the base cabinet.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising at least third and fourth swing cabinets each defined by a front surface, a rear surface, and an inner side end and an outer side end, wherein the third and fourth swing cabinets are linearly aligned such that the inner side ends of the third and fourth swing cabinets approach each other, wherein one of the side ends of said each third and fourth swing cabinet is swingably engaged to said each first and second base cabinet  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the upright tablet passages for the base cabinet are aligned in columns along the front surface of the base cabinet so that the upright tablet passages of the base cabinet face against those of the first and second swing cabinets.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the tablet packaging unit comprises: 
 a) a printer to print respective information on a packaging paper; and  
 b) a heater assembly to package the tablets released through the hopper into one or more partitioned paper bags using the packaging paper.  
 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein a magnetic holder is formed on a central upper portion of the base cabinet to facilitate opening and closing of the swing cabinets.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the magnetic holder is elastic.