Medicament dispensing machine and medicament dispensing method

A medicine dispensing device comprising:

• a device body;
• a storage container that accommodates in a stacked state a plurality of blister packages in which medicines are separately packed, the storage container being attached to the device body such that a direction in which the blister packages are stacked is horizontal or approximately horizontal direction;
• a dispensing member movably provided at the device body, the dispensing member moving up to the storage container and dispensing the accommodated blister package;
• a gripping member that grips and transports the blister package dispensed by the dispensing member;
• and
• a cutting member that cuts a fraction out of the blister package that is gripped and transported by the gripping member,
• wherein the storage container includes:
• an outlet formed in a bottom surface at one end side for taking out the blister package;
• a biasing member that biases the accommodated blister package towards the outlet side;
• and
• an opening/closing door that is disposed at an outer end surface at the outlet side,
• wherein the opening/closing door includes:
• a guide reception part that guides the blister package that is dispensed from the outlet of the storage container;
• a holding part that is capable of moving between a holding position for holding the blister package with the guide reception part and a releasing position for releasing the blister package;
• and
• a biasing part that biases the holding part towards the holding position,
• wherein the guide reception part has a reference surface with which a lower edge part of the blister package can come into contact so as to position the blister package when the holding part is moved to the releasing position, and
• wherein the gripping member has an action part that can move the holding part from the holding position to the releasing position against a biasing force of the biasing part.