Method and device for dividing a blister strip
AssigneeBecton Dickinson Rowa Germany GmbH
InventorChristoph Hellenbrand
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for dividing a blister strip having a plurality of blister-packaged drugs apportioned into separate sections of the blister strip is provided. A blister strip with a substrate having a plurality of depressions for drug portions is provided and an image of the substrate is generated by a 3D-sensor device. A control device evaluates the image with image analysis. Based on the analysis results, an arrangement of the depressions is determined and control signals for a separating device are generated. The blister strip is then divided into a plurality of blister strip parts based on the control signals. A blister strip dividing device is also provided.
Claims20
A method for dividing a blister strip, comprising:
- receiving the blister strip having a plurality of depressions for drug portions;
- generating, by a 3D sensor device, an image of the plurality of depressions;
- evaluating, by a control device using image analysis, the image;
- determining, by the control device, an arrangement of the plurality of depressions based on the evaluation of the image;
- calculating control signals based on the arrangement of the plurality of depressions;
- moving a slide along a first directional axis;
- moving the 3D sensor device and at least one separator along the slide along a second directional axis different from the first directional axis;
- and
- dividing, by the at least one separator, the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts based on the control signals.
A blister strip dividing device, comprising:
- a 3D-sensor device configured to generate an image of a blister strip having a plurality of depressions;
- at least one separator for dividing the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts;
- a movable slide configured to move along a first directional axis, wherein the 3D-sensor device and the at least one separator are movably coupled to the slide and are movable along a second directional axis different from the first directional axis;
- and
- a control device coupled to the 3D-sensor device and the separator, the control device configured to:
- evaluate the generated image by image analysis;
- determine an arrangement of the plurality of depressions based on the evaluation;
- and
- calculate control signals for the separator based on the determined arrangement of the plurality of depressions,
- wherein the at least one separator is configured to divide the blister strip into a plurality of blister strip parts based on the calculated control signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.