High capacity drawer with mechanical indicator for a dispensing device
First Claim
1. An assembly, comprising:
- a plurality of bins;
a plurality of lids, each lid being associated with one of said plurality of bins, each of said bins having a notched tab and a touch latch, said notched tab and said touch latch being in one of an engaged state and a disengaged state when said lid is in a closed position;
a lock assembly including a catch operable to prevent said notched tab and said touch latch from changing state; and
a mechanical indicator responsive to said catch.
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Accused Products
Abstract
One aspect of the invention relates to an assembly comprising a plurality of bins with a plurality of lids associated therewith. Each of the bins has a lock assembly that includes a catch operable to lock the lid in its closed position and a mechanical indicator responsive to the catch. Another aspect of the invention relates to an automated dispensing cabinet that includes a control computer and a plurality of drawers having a plurality of row assemblies therein. Each row assembly has bins that include a tabbed lid, a lock assembly with a catch operable to engage and disengage the tab, and an indicator responsive to the lock assembly. Methods for dispensing from and restocking the remote dispensing systems are also given, as well as a method for indicating which item is to be dispensed from one of a plurality of bins.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. An assembly, comprising:
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a plurality of bins;
a plurality of lids, each lid being associated with one of said plurality of bins, each of said bins having a notched tab and a touch latch, said notched tab and said touch latch being in one of an engaged state and a disengaged state when said lid is in a closed position;
a lock assembly including a catch operable to prevent said notched tab and said touch latch from changing state; and
a mechanical indicator responsive to said catch. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An automated dispensing cabinet, comprising:
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a plurality of drawers, wherein at least one of said plurality of drawers includes a plurality of row assemblies, each of said plurality of row assemblies having a plurality of bins wherein each of said plurality of bins includes;
a lid having a tab attached thereto;
a touch latch operable to one of engage and disengage said tab when said lid is in a closed position;
a lock assembly including a catch operable to prevent said notched tab and said touch latch from one of engaging and disengaging; and
a mechanical indicator responsive to said lock assembly and viewable when said lid is in a closed position; and
a control computer operable to lock and unlock said plurality of drawers and to control the position of said catch of each of said bins. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for dispensing an item contained in remote dispensing system comprising:
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granting a user access to said remote dispensing system having a plurality of lockable drawers with a plurality of lockable bins;
accepting dispensing information from said user;
unlocking at least one of said plurality of drawers, wherein said unlocked drawer contains an item to be dispensed;
unlocking at least one of said plurality of bins located within said unlocked drawer while changing the state of a mechanical indicator associated with a bin that has been unlocked;
verifying that said user has closed said unlocked bin; and
locking said at least one of said plurality of bins and said at least one of said plurality of drawers. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24)
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25. A method for restocking items contained in a remote dispensing system including a cabinet having with a plurality of drawers, at least one of said plurality of drawers having a plurality of bin row assemblies, said method comprising:
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selecting a bin row assembly;
opening said drawer containing said bin row assembly;
identifying said selected bin row assembly;
removing said selected bin row assembly from said drawer;
inserting a restocked bin row assembly in place of said removed selected bin row assembly. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27)
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28. A method indicating an item to be dispensed from one of a plurality of bins, each bin having a lockable lid and a mechanical indicator responsive to a latching mechanism, comprising:
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unlocking said one bin;
changing the state of a mechanical indicator.
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29. An assembly, comprising:
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a plurality of bins;
a plurality of lids, each lid being associated with one of said plurality of bins, each of said bins having a notched tab;
a lock assembly including a catch operable to one of engage or disengage said notched tab when said lid is in a closed position; and
a mechanical indicator responsive to said catch.
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Specification