Automatic medicine packing apparatus with bitmap image printing function and method for printing bitmap image by using the same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic medicine packing apparatus with bitmap image printing function capable of printing a company logo, a time to take medicine, or the like in the form of a bitmap image onto a medicine packing paper, thereby allowing a variety of images to be represented thereon, and a method for printing a bitmap image using the automatic medicine packing apparatus. To this end, there is provided an automatic medicine packing apparatus for automatically packing dispensed medicines, comprising: a keypad having a plurality of key buttons and receiving operational instructions from a user; a display for displaying a menu and an operational state; a memory for having a database storing at least one bitmap image for indicating a medicine taking time; a packing paper roll in which a medicine packing paper is wound; a printing unit for printing the bitmap image read from the database on the medicine packing paper supplied from the packing paper roll; a medicine supplying unit for supplying the dispensed medicines; a sealing unit for thermal bonding and sealing the medicine packing paper in which the medicines supplied by the medicine supplying unit are accommodated; and a controller for reading the bitmap image for indicating a medicine taking time set according to a user's request for setting a medicine taking time from the database to transmit the read bitmap image to the printing unit.

1 . An automatic medicine packing apparatus for automatically packing dispensed medicines, comprising:
 a keypad having a plurality of key buttons and configured to receive operational instructions from a user;   a display for displaying a menu and an operational state;   a memory for having a database storing at least one bitmap image for indicating a medicine taking time;   a packing paper roll in which a medicine packing paper is wound;   a printing unit for printing the bitmap image read from the database on the medicine packing paper supplied from the packing paper roll;   a medicine supplying unit for supplying the dispensed medicines;   a sealing unit for thermal bonding and sealing the medicine packing paper in which the medicines supplied by the medicine supplying unit are accommodated; and   a controller for reading the bitmap image for indicating a medicine taking time set according to a user's request for setting a medicine taking time from the database to transmit the read bitmap image to the printing unit.   
   
   
       2 . The automatic medicine packing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the database further stores a bitmap image for indicating a company logo, and the controller transmits the bitmap image for indicating a company logo stored in the database to the printing unit. 
   
   
       3 . The automatic medicine packing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises an image editing unit operable to edit the bitmap image stored in the database according to the operational instructions input through the keypad and transmit the edited bitmap image to the printing unit. 
   
   
       4 . The automatic medicine packing apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an interface unit communicating with a user computer, wherein the bitmap image is received and transmitted through the interface unit. 
   
   
       5 . The automatic medicine packing apparatus as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the controller further comprises an updating unit operable to update the database with the bitmap image received from the interface unit. 
   
   
       6 . A method of printing a bitmap image in an automatic medicine packing apparatus for automatically packing distributed medicines, the method comprising the steps of:
 preparing a bitmap image to be printed on a medicine packing paper;   transmitting the prepared bitmap image to a printing unit;   printing the transmitted bitmap image on the medicine packing paper; and   receiving the medicines discharged through a hopper and packing the medicines with the medicine packing paper on which the bitmap image is printed.   
   
   
       7 . The bitmap image printing method as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the preparing step includes the steps of: receiving the bitmap image from a user computer; and storing and managing the received bitmap image in a database.