Storage device for health care facility
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A storage device for controlling access to medical items held in the storage device, comprising:
- a drawer having a ratcheting member, a latching mechanism controllably engaging the ratcheting member, a sensor for determining a position of the drawer, and a controller electrically connected to the sensor and the latching mechanism, the controller receiving a position signal from the sensor, and the controller providing a control signal to the latching mechanism to manipulate the latching mechanism for controlling movement of the drawer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device is provided for controlling access to medical items. At least one ratcheting drawer is provided having a plurality of bins adapted to hold the medical items and disposed to become exposed sequentially as the drawer is opened. A latching mechanism engages the ratcheting drawer to prevent the drawer from opening. A sensor detects the position of the drawer relative to the bins and, when access to the contents of a particular bin is authorized, the latching mechanism disengages until the specific bin is exposed, as determined by the sensor.
152 Citations
58 Claims
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1. A storage device for controlling access to medical items held in the storage device, comprising:
a drawer having a ratcheting member, a latching mechanism controllably engaging the ratcheting member, a sensor for determining a position of the drawer, and a controller electrically connected to the sensor and the latching mechanism, the controller receiving a position signal from the sensor, and the controller providing a control signal to the latching mechanism to manipulate the latching mechanism for controlling movement of the drawer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A storage device for controlling access to one or more medical items in the storage device, comprising:
a cabinet, a ratcheting drawer fitted within the cabinet, the ratcheting drawer having a ratcheting member, a latching mechanism engaging the ratcheting mechanism, and the ratcheting member adapted to resist opening and allow closing of the drawer when engaged by the latching mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A storage device for containing and controlling distribution of medical items stored in the storage device, comprising:
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a cabinet having at least one ratcheting drawer with a plurality of bins, each bin extending substantially about a width of the drawer, and the bins extending in series from a front of the drawer to a rear of the drawer, wherein the bins are adapted to hold medical items and disposed to become exposed sequentially as the drawer is opened, the ratcheting drawer having a ratcheting member with a plurality of one-way teeth, the ratcheting drawer further having a plurality of position indicators thereon, the position indicators being positioned on the drawer relative to the plurality of bins in the drawer;
a sensor adjacent the position indicators on the ratcheting drawer, the sensor providing a signal of the indicator adjacent the sensor to assist in determining a current position of the ratcheting drawer relative to the plurality bins;
a latching mechanism configured to engage the ratcheting member any of a plurality of positions to prevent the ratcheting drawer from opening a controlled distance beyond the current position, while allowing the drawer to be closed at any time; and
,a controller operatively connected to the sensor and the latching mechanism, wherein the ratcheting member is normally engaged by the latching mechanism to resist opening of the ratcheting drawer beyond the current position, and wherein when the controller obtains authorization for access to the one or more medical items stored in a particular bin the controller provides a signal to the latching mechanism to disengage the ratcheting member to expose the particular bin of the particular drawer. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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34. A storage device for controlling access to returned medical items in a medical facility, comprising:
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a housing having an interior;
a return bin secured in the interior of the housing, the return bin having a cavity with an opening, the return bin being movable to a plurality of positions;
a first aperture in the housing, the first aperture mating with the opening in the return bin when the return bin is positioned in a first position;
a cover secured to the housing and overlaying the first aperture in the housing, the covering providing controlled access to the cavity of the return bin inside the housing;
an actuator connected to the return bin, the actuator manipulating movement of the return bin; and
,a controller electrically connected to the actuator to provide the actuator with a signal for manipulating the return bin. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for securing access to medical items in a container, comprising the steps of:
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providing a drawer having a unidirectional ratcheting member;
providing a latching mechanism;
providing a controller operatively connected to the latching mechanism;
sending a signal from the controller to the latching mechanism to manipulate the latching mechanism for controlling engagement of the latching mechanism with the ratcheting member. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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52. A method of returning a medical item to the storage device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a drawer having a unidirectional ratcheting member operatively engaging the unidirectional ratcheting member;
providing a latching mechanism;
providing a controller operatively connected to the latching mechanism;
providing a command to the controller that a medical item is to be returned;
sending a signal from the controller to the latching mechanism to manipulate engagement of the latching mechanism with the ratcheting member for providing controlled opening of the drawer;
depositing the medical item to be returned in the open drawer; and
,closing the drawer. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A method of returning a medical item to the storage device, comprising the steps of:
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providing a housing having an interior, the housing having a first aperture;
providing a return bin secured in the interior of the housing, the return bin having a cavity with an opening, the return bin being movable to a plurality of positions, the opening of the cavity mating with the first aperture of the housing when the return bin is positioned in a first position;
providing a cover controllably overlaying the first aperture in the housing;
providing an actuator connected to the return bin, the actuator manipulating movement of the return bin;
providing a controller electrically connected to the actuator;
providing a command to the controller that a medical item is to be returned;
opening the cover;
depositing the medical item to be returned within the cavity of the return bin; and
,closing the cover. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58)
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Specification