Medicine storage module and method

Abstract

Provided are a medicine storage module and method. The medicine storage module includes medicine storage boxes, each of which stores medicine in a unit of a dosage, a medicine storage box cartridge storing the medicine storage boxes in a stacked fashion, and a discharge module discharging a lowermost one of the medicine storage boxes of the medicine storage box cartridge to an outside according to a medicine discharge instruction of a user. Thus, it is possible to store a large quantity of prescription medicine in a unit of a dosage regardless of its shape, and to provide the medicine to a user in the dosage unit at a time when the user takes the medicine.

1 . A medicine storage module comprising:
 medicine storage boxes, each of which stores medicine in a unit of a dosage;   a medicine storage box cartridge storing the medicine storage boxes in a stacked fashion; and   a discharge module discharging a lowermost one of the medicine storage boxes of the medicine storage box cartridge to an outside according to a medicine discharge instruction of a user.   
     
     
         2 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein each medicine storage box includes steps at front and rear portions thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein each medicine storage box includes storage box shoulders supporting a bottom of the next medicine storage box stacked thereon. 
     
     
         4 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein each medicine storage box is preserved in a folded form. 
     
     
         5 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 4 , wherein each medicine storage box includes folded upper corners when unfolded. 
     
     
         6 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein the discharge module pushes a rear portion of the lowermost medicine storage box toward a discharge opening in order to move the lowermost medicine storage box. 
     
     
         7 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein each medicine storage box includes a plurality of spiral discharge grooves in a bottom thereof, and the discharge module moves the medicine storage box through the spiral discharge grooves. 
     
     
         8 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein each medicine storage box stores at least one of a pill, a tablet, a capsule, and a drug packed in a dosage bag. 
     
     
         9 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 1 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge includes:
 a cartridge frame surrounding lateral and rear portions of the stacked medicine storage boxes;   lower end supports connected to lower edges of the opposite lateral portions of the cartridge frame and partially supporting a bottom of the lowermost medicine storage box such that the lowermost medicine storage box does not fall in a downward direction; and   front supports connected to front edges of the opposite lateral portions of the cartridge frame and partially supporting a front of each medicine storage box such that the medicine storage boxes do not fall in a forward direction,   wherein each of the front supports and the rear portion of the cartridge frame has an open lower portion such that one medicine storage box passes therethrough.   
     
     
         10 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 9 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge is preserved in a folded form. 
     
     
         11 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 10 , further comprising a cartridge body in which a plurality of medicine storage box cartridges are mounted. 
     
     
         12 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 11 , wherein the cartridge body includes fixing channels, which are connected with extensions of front, rear and lower edges of each medicine storage box cartridge and fix each medicine storage box cartridge therein. 
     
     
         13 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 10 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge includes an integrated front support in which upper and lower portions of the front supports are connected to each other. 
     
     
         14 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 9 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge includes an inner storage box cover, which is disposed on the uppermost medicine storage box and fixes the stacked medicine storage boxes therein to prevent escape of the medicine storage boxes. 
     
     
         15 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 9 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge includes an outer storage box cover, which covers a front portion of the medicine storage box cartridge. 
     
     
         16 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 14 , wherein the opposite lateral portions of the cartridge frame include a plurality of slits. 
     
     
         17 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 16 , wherein the inner storage box cover includes wings, which are fitted into slits of the opposite lateral portions of the cartridge frame, on opposite edges thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The medicine storage module according to  claim 9 , wherein the medicine storage box cartridge includes a cartridge cover, which covers an upper end itself of the medicine storage box cartridge. 
     
     
         19 . A medicine storage method comprising:
 sealing medicine in dosage bags using a strip of dosage bags and a medicine packing machine;   storing the dosage bags in medicine storage boxes;   sequentially stacking the medicine storage boxes in the medicine storage box cartridge; and   applying inner and outer storage box covers and a storage box cartridge cover to complete package of medicine.