Medicine bag printing apparatus

Abstract

A medicine bag printer exhibiting excellent carrying efficiency of a medicine bag in which distributing of the medicine bags for respective patients is facilitated. The medicine bag printer comprises a print unit ( 8 ) consisting of removable medicine bag cassettes ( 22 a, 22 b ) each containing a plurality of medicine bags ( 14 ) and feeding the medicine bag ( 14 ) one by one, a print section ( 23 ) for printing medicine information and a medicine image on the medicine bag ( 14 ) being fed from the medicine bag cassette ( 22 a, 22 b ), and a tray ( 24 ) for mounting the printed medicine bag ( 14 ) discharged from the print section ( 23 ) such that the forward end of the printed medicine bag ( 14 ) projects from the tray. The medicine bag printer further comprises a section ( 40 ) for grasping the forward end part of the medicine bag ( 14 ) mounted on the tray ( 24 ) of the print unit ( 8 ), and a section ( 39 ) for carrying out the medicine bag ( 14 ) grasped at the tip end thereof by the grasping section ( 40 ).

1 . A medicine bag printing apparatus configured by an apparatus main body comprising: 
 a printing unit including a medicine bag cassette attached thereto/detached therefrom, the medicine bag cassette housing a plurality of medicine bags and supplying the medicine bags one by one, a printing part printing medicine information and an image of a medicine on the medicine bag supplied from the medicine bag cassette, and a tray storing the medicine bags each subjected to the printing process by the printing part such that a tip end of each medicine bag protrudes therefrom;    a holding section holding the tip end of the medicine bag placed on the tray of the printing unit; and    a carrying section carrying the medicine bag, having the tip end held by the holding section, out of the printing unit.    
   
   
       2 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said holding section operates based on a print completion signal indicative of completion of the printing process performed on medicine bags for one patient by said printing part.  
   
   
       3 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said printing unit is horizontally pulled out from said apparatus main body in a direction perpendicular to a discharge direction of a medicine bag.  
   
   
       4 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said printing unit is pulled out from said apparatus main body and, then, turns such that the medicine bag cassette is attached thereto/detached therefrom.  
   
   
       5 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of medicine bag supply units producing medicine bags different in size from each other from medicine bag base paper wound around medicine bag rolls and, then, supplying the medicine bags thus produced;    a plurality of transfer sections transferring the medicine bags supplied from the medicine bag supply units;    a plurality of printers printing medicine information on the medicine bags transferred by the transfer sections; and    a plurality of carrying sections carrying the medicine bags, subjected to the printing process by the printers, out of the printers.    
   
   
       6 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein each of said plurality of medicine bag supply units is horizontally pulled out from said apparatus main body, and includes a locking device locking said printing unit so as to prevent said printing unit from being pulled out from said apparatus main body when one of the plurality of medicine bag supply units is pulled out from the apparatus main body.  
   
   
       7 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of medicine bag supply units producing medicine bags different in size from each other from medicine bag base paper wound around medicine bag rolls and, then, supplying the medicine bags thus produced;    a plurality of transfer sections transferring the medicine bags supplied from the medicine bag supply units;    a plurality of printers printing medicine information on the medicine bags transferred by the transfer sections; and    a plurality of carrying sections carrying the medicine bags, subjected to the printing process by the printers, out of the printers.    
   
   
       8 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according  claim 3 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of medicine bag supply units producing medicine bags different in size from each other from medicine bag base paper wound around medicine bag rolls and, then, supplying the medicine bags thus produced;    a plurality of transfer sections transferring the medicine bags supplied from the medicine bag supply units;    a plurality of printers printing medicine information on the medicine bags transferred by the transfer sections; and    a plurality of carrying sections carrying the medicine bags, subjected to the printing process by the printers, out of the printers.    
   
   
       9 . The medicine bag printing apparatus according  claim 4 , further comprising: 
 a plurality of medicine bag supply units producing medicine bags different in size from each other from medicine bag base paper wound around medicine bag rolls and, then, supplying the medicine bags thus produced;    a plurality of transfer sections transferring the medicine bags supplied from the medicine bag supply units;    a plurality of printers printing medicine information on the medicine bags transferred by the transfer sections; and    a plurality of carrying sections carrying the medicine bags, subjected to the printing process by the printers, out of the printers.