FIELD

The present invention relates to a medicine packaging apparatus configured to package medicine based on prescription data and to a medicine feeding apparatus.

BACKGROUND

Conventionally, there are medicine packaging apparatuses configured to package medicine based on prescription data. For example, a medicine packaging apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 can be mentioned. The medicine packaging apparatus disclosed in Patent Literature 1 includes a monitoring container configured to receive solid medicine discharged from a tablet case and performs image monitoring in the monitoring container. After the monitoring, the solid medicine discharged from the monitoring container is packaged.

As the solid medicine is fed to the monitoring container, medicine powder occurs, for example, due to the solid medicine being shaved off by abutting the medicine feeding path to the monitoring container. The medicine powder accumulates in the monitoring container.

The monitoring container disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is fixed to a rotating turn table. Therefore, it has been difficult to clean away the medicine powder accumulated in the monitoring container. The medicine powder that could not be removed from the monitoring container by cleaning may thus possibly cause mixing (contamination) of different types of medicine that are out of prescription, which is not preferable.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: WO 2013/105198 A

SUMMARY

Technical Problem

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a medicine packaging apparatus and a medicine feeding apparatus which are capable of facilitating the cleaning.

Solution to Problem

An example of the configuration of the present invention is a medicine packaging apparatus configured to package medicine based on prescription data, the medicine packaging apparatus including: a feeder configured to feed solid medicine; a storage configured to temporarily store the solid medicine fed from the feeder; and a packaging unit configured to package the solid medicine discharged from the storage, wherein the storage includes: a plurality of storage containers; a holding table configured to hold the plurality of storage containers so as to be individually detachable; and a drive unit configured to drive the holding table to move so that each of the plurality of storage containers held by the holding table is moved between an introduction position where the solid medicine is introduced from the feeder and a discharge position where the solid medicine is discharged to the packaging unit.

Further, the configuration can be such that each of the plurality of storage containers includes a bottom part that is movable between an open state in which downward communication is possible and a closing state in which the communication is impossible; and a maintaining unit configured to maintain the bottom part in the closing state when each of the plurality of storage containers is detached from the holding table.

Further, the configuration can be such that the maintaining unit includes a biasing part configured to bias the bottom part toward a direction so as to be in the closing state.

Further, the configuration can be such that each of the plurality of storage containers includes an opening that is open upward, and each of the plurality of storage containers is detached from the holding table with the opening facing upward.

Further, the configuration can be such that each of the plurality of storage containers is configured to be held in an engaged state with the holding table and includes a pair of operation pieces that are located on both sides with the opening being interposed therebetween and are operated by an operator so as to be pinched from both sides inwardly of the opening, and the engaged state of the storage container with the holding table is released by the operation of the pair of operation pieces.

Further, the configuration can be such that the feeder, the storage, and the packaging unit are arranged sequentially from the top, the storage is drawable in the horizontal direction from a housing, and each of the plurality of storage containers is detached from the holding table by being moved upwardly.

Further, an example of the configuration of the present invention is a medicine feeding apparatus configured to feed medicine based on prescription data, the medicine feeding apparatus including: a feeder configured to feed solid medicine; and a storage configured to temporarily store the solid medicine fed from the feeder, wherein the storage includes: a plurality of storage containers; a holding table configured to hold the plurality of storage containers so as to be individually detachable; and a drive unit configured to drive the holding table to move so that each of the plurality of storage containers held by the holding table is moved between an introduction position where the solid medicine is introduced from the feeder and a discharge position where the solid medicine is discharged.

