X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices – Specific application – Absorption
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-25
2001-11-27
Kim, Robert H. (Department: 2882)
X-ray or gamma ray systems or devices
Specific application
Absorption
C209S589000, C053S501000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06324253
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tablet inspection apparatus for automatically inspecting packaged tablets to verify whether they are packaged as directed by a prescription.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Traditionally, inspection to verify whether tablets packaged by a tablet packaging machine are packaged as directed by a prescription has been performed visually by pharmacists. Apparatus for assisting such visual inspection by pharmacists are disclosed, for example, in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 63-294307 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 4-17666. These apparatus are designed to inspect tablet type and tablet count by capturing an image of packaged tablets with a camera.
However, since the image of the tablets packaged in a packaging sheet is captured in two dimensions, when more than one tablet is packed in a package the above inspection apparatus have often been unable to recognize the overlapping or contacting condition of the tablets, erroneously judging the condition as a packaging defect. Furthermore, when letters are printed with white paint in a stripe pattern on the packaging sheet, it is not possible to recognize the tablets concealed behind the stripe.
These problems will not be solved even if the images are captured from both sides of the packaging sheet. In view of this, apparatus for inspecting tablets by capturing their images as they are apart from each other just before packaging are disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication Nos. 5-337168 and 8-168727. However, the processing speed of these apparatus is slow because the tablets must be separated from one another. Furthermore, since these apparatus inspect tablets just before packaging, not after packaging, if a tablet to be packed in a packaging sheet is erroneously put in an another packaging sheet before or after it, such wrong packaging cannot be detected, and reliability of the inspection apparatus is therefore low. For example, when the type of tablets to be taken in the morning is different from the type of tablets to be taken in the afternoon, if a tablet for the afternoon is put in the packaging sheet containing the tablets for the morning, then the package will be delivered as it is to the patient. As a result, he will take the tablet at the wrong time, defeating the purpose of medication. Furthermore, if a machine part such as a screw or spring or other foreign matter such as an insect or dust gets mixed when packaging, there is a danger that the package may be delivered as it is to the patient who then may erroneously swallow it with the tablets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been devised in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a tablet inspection apparatus that has high reliability and high processing speed, and that can monitor inspection data after tablets are delivered to the patient, enabling to alleviate the inspection labor of pharmacists.
As a first means to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a tablet inspection apparatus for inspecting tablets packaged in a tablet package based on prescription data, comprising: penetrating radiation generating means for generating penetrating radiation and projecting the same onto the tablet package; penetrating radiation detecting means for detecting the penetrating radiation generated by the penetrating radiation generating means; tablet count determining means for determining the number of tablets packaged in the tablet package, based on a detection result supplied from the penetrating radiation detecting means; and comparing and verifying means for verifying whether the tablets are packaged as directed by the prescription data, by extracting from the prescription data tablet count data associated with the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tablet package and by comparing the tablet count data with the number of tablets determined by the tablet count determining means. The term “tablet package” used herein refers not only to a packaging sheet but also to a vial bottle or a cylindrical bottle fitted with a cap. Also, the term “penetrating radiation” refers not only to X-rays but also to radioactive rays and light rays, such as infrared rays, capable of penetrating objects.
According to the invention as the first means, the number of tablets packaged in the tablet package is determined based on the detection result supplied from the penetrating radiation detecting means, and whether the tablets are packaged as directed by the prescription data is verified by comparing the number of tablets thus determined with the tablet count data associated with the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tablet package. Accordingly, the inspection of the packaged tablets can be done in a simple manner and at high speed and, at the same time, the reliability can be enhanced.
As a second means to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a tablet inspection apparatus for inspecting tablets packaged in a tablet package based on prescription data, comprising: penetrating radiation generating means for generating penetrating radiation and projecting the same onto the tablet package; penetrating radiation detecting means for detecting the penetrating radiation generated by the penetrating radiation generating means; tablet shape identifying means for identifying the shape of each of the tablets packaged in the tablet package, based on a detection result supplied from the penetrating radiation detecting means; storage means for storing tablet shape data for each tablet type; and comparing and verifying means for verifying whether the tablets are packaged as directed by the prescription data, by extracting from the prescription data the tablet type of the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tablet package, by retrieving the tablet shape data corresponding to the tablet type from the storage means, and by comparing the tablet shape data with the tablet shape identified by the tablet shape identifying means.
According to the invention as the second means, the shape of each of the tablets packaged in the tablet package is identified based on the detection result supplied from the penetrating radiation detecting means, and whether the tablets are packaged as directed by the prescription data is verified by comparing the thus identified tablet shape with the tablet shape data associated with the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tablet package. Accordingly, as in the first means, the inspection of the packaged tablets can be done in a simple manner and at high speed and, at the same time, the reliability can be enhanced.
As a third means to solve the aforementioned problems, the present invention provides a tablet inspection apparatus for inspecting tablets packaged in a tablet package based on prescription data, comprising: penetrating radiation generating means for generating penetrating radiation and projecting the same onto the tablet package; penetrating radiation detecting means for detecting the penetrating radiation generated by the penetrating radiation generating means; tablet shape identifying means for identifying the shape of each of the tablets packaged in the tablet package, based on a detection result supplied from the penetrating radiation detecting means; storage means for storing tablet shape data for each tablet type; tablet count determining means for determining the number of tablets packaged in the tablet package, by extracting from the prescription data the tablet type of the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tablet package, by retrieving the tablet shape data corresponding to the tablet type from the storage means, and by matching the tablet shape data against the tablet shape identified by the tablet shape identifying means; and comparing and verifying means for verifying whether the tablets are packaged as directed by the prescription data, by extracting from the prescription data the tablet type and tablet count data associated with the tablets supposed to be packaged in the tabl
Hamada Hiroyasu
Yuyama Shoji
Hobden Pamela R.
Kim Robert H.
Wenderoth , Lind & Ponack, L.L.P.
Yuyama Mfg. Co. Ltd.
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