# US 2024/0203191 A1 · Cassette handling apparatus

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- Number: US 2024/0203191 A1
- Document ID: US20240203191A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 18/593,953
- Filed: 2024-03-03
- Published: 2024-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2019-01-31
- Assignees: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: Yuyama Mfg. Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Akifumi TANAKA; Hidenori TSUJI; Satoshi GOTOU; Hiroshi IEDA
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240203191A1

## CPC

- G07F 17/0092: {for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles (medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00)}
- A61J 3/00: Devices or methods specially adapted for bringing pharmaceutical products into particular physical or administering forms
- B65B 5/105: {by grippers (B65B5/12 and B65B5/108 take precedence)}
- B65G 1/00: Storing articles, individually or in orderly arrangement, in warehouses or magazines (conveyor combinations in warehouses, magazines or workshops B65G37/00; stacking of articles B65G57/00; removing articles from stacks B65G59/00; loading machines B65G65/02)
- G07F 9/023: {Arrangements for display, data presentation or advertising}
- G07F 9/026: {for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty}
- G07F 11/165: {using xyz-picker or multi-dimensional article picking arrangements}
- G07F 11/60: the storage containers or supports being rectilinearly movable
- G07F 11/62: in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
- G07F: COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS (coin sorting G07D3/00; coin testing G07D5/00; {handling coins or paper currencies apart from payment activated apparatus G07D; payment architectures, schemes or protocols G06Q20/00})
- A61J: CONTAINERS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR MEDICAL OR PHARMACEUTICAL PURPOSES; DEVICES OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR BRINGING PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS INTO PARTICULAR PHYSICAL OR ADMINISTERING FORMS; DEVICES FOR ADMINISTERING FOOD OR MEDICINES ORALLY; BABY COMFORTERS; DEVICES FOR RECEIVING SPITTLE
- B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00)
- B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D)

## Abstract

A main unit includes a cassette shelf, at least one transporting cassette holder that temporarily holds a cassette removed from the cassette shelf and to be transported to a drug receiver, at least one returning cassette holder that temporarily holds the cassette received from the drug receiver and to be returned to the cassette shelf, and a main cassette transporter that transports the cassette between the cassette shelf and the at least one transporting cassette holder, and between the cassette shelf and the at least one returning cassette holder.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cassette handling apparatus for transporting and receiving a cassette to and from a drug handling apparatus, the drug handling apparatus including a drug receiver for removing a drug from a cassette or loading a drug into the cassette, the cassette handling apparatus comprising:
a cassette shelf configured to store a plurality of cassettes;
a cassette holder configured to temporarily hold the cassette transported from the cassette shelf or the drug receiver; and
a cassette transporter configured to transport the cassette between the cassette shelf and the cassette,
the cassette transporter including a cassette gripper for drawing the cassette from the cassette shelf or the cassette holder and gripping the cassette,
the cassette gripper including a lid that functions as a lid of the gripped cassette and that is movable above the gripped cassette.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cassette handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the cassette gripper further includes a cassette receptacle on which the drawn cassette is placed, and
the lid is movable, above the cassette placed on the cassette receptacle, in a direction perpendicular to the cassette receptacle.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cassette handling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein
the cassette gripper further includes a lifter that is connected to the lid and the cassette receptacle and that moves the lid in a direction perpendicular to the cassette receptacle, and
the lifter includes a link assembly including multiple links and multiple joints.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cassette handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the cassette gripper further includes an elastic member, and
when the lid is at a contact position where the lid is in contact with an upper surface of the cassette, the cassette gripper holds the cassette under a force from the elastic member being compressed and a weight of the lid.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The cassette handling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
the cassette gripper further includes a cassette receptacle on which the drawn cassette is placed, and
a driving mechanism for controlling movement of the lid, and
the driving mechanism is located below the cassette receptacle.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The cassette handling apparatus according to claim 5, wherein
the driving mechanism is located inside the cassette receptacle on a plane view of the cassette receptacle.