Equipment storage module

• US 20070204524A1
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Julie Kern, Kenneth Kramer, Richard Chance
• Original Assignee: Julie Kern, Kenneth Kramer, Richard Chance
• Inventors: Kramer, Kenneth, Chance, Richard, Kern, Julie
• Application Number:
  US11/597,851
• Publication Number:
  US 20070204524A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/36.100
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 87/0284 Cabinet systems consisting of stacked-and-linked uniform casings, each being a cabinet or drawer-holder, e.g. lockers, mail/file boxing systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/00 Accommodation for nursing, e.g. in hospitals, not covered by groups A61G1/00 - A61G11/00, e.g. trolleys for transport of medicaments or food service or tea-tables, trolleys or wagons A47B31/00; Prescription lists

Abstract

An equipment storage module (24) is provided for use with a modular wall (20). The modular wall (20) includes a plurality of frame units (100) configured to form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having a predetermined height (132) and a predetermined width (130). The equipment storage module (24) is configured to be positioned in one of the wall spaces to form a portion of the modular wall (20). The equipment storage module (24) comprises an enclosure (50) having a cavity (62) in which a patient care equipment (44) having a first connector (98) is configured to be stored. The enclosure has a second connector (66) configured to be coupled to the first connector (98) when the patient care equipment (44) is stored in the cavity (62).

Claims

1. An equipment storage module for use with patient care equipment having a first connector, the equipment storage module comprising an enclosure having a cavity in which the patient care equipment is configured to be stored, the enclosure having a second connector configured to be coupled to the first connector when the patient care equipment is stored in the cavity.

2. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the equipment storage module forms a portion of a wall in a hospital.

3. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the first connector is coupled to a rechargeable on-board battery of the patient care equipment, and the second connector comprises an electrical outlet.

4. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the first connector is coupled to a first data port of a user interface device of the patient care equipment, and the second connector comprises a second data port.

5. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the user interface device includes a microprocessor.

6. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a wall defining a portion of the cavity, and the second connector is coupled to the wall.

7. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein one of the walls of the enclosure has a plurality of electrical outlets.

8. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the plurality of electrical outlets are arranged along a track that extends substantially parallel to a floor supporting the enclosure.

9. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a back wall, and the plurality of electrical outlets are coupled to the back wall.

10. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a side wall, and the plurality of electrical outlets are coupled to the side wall.

11. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein one of the walls of the enclosure has a plurality of data ports.

12. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the plurality of data ports are arranged along a strip that extends substantially parallel to a floor supporting the enclosure.

13. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a back wall, and the plurality of data ports are coupled to the back wall.

14. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a side wall, and the plurality of data ports are coupled to the side wall.

15. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein one of the walls of the enclosure has an accessory mounting rail.

16. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein one of the walls of the enclosure has a plurality of accessory mounting rails.

17. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the accessory mounting rails are arranged substantially parallel to a floor supporting the enclosure.

18. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least some of the accessory mounting rails are arranged substantially perpendicular to a floor supporting the enclosure.

19. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a back wall, and at least some of the accessory mounting rails are coupled to the back wall.

20. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a side wall, and at least some of the accessory mounting rails are coupled to the side wall.

21. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the cavity is open to a floor supporting the enclosure.

22. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the cavity is open to a front of the enclosure.

23. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the enclosure has a door that is movable between a first position allowing access to the cavity and a second position preventing access to the cavity.

24. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the door is opaque.

25. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the door is transparent.

26. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the door includes an LCD panel.

27. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the door is lockable.

28. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the electrical outlet supplies power to charge the on-board battery of the patient care equipment while the patient care equipment is stored in the cavity.

29. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein data is uploaded to or download from the user interface device through the data port while the patient care equipment is stored in the cavity.

30. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the patient care equipment storage module is a pass-through module.

31. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the equipment storage module has a front side facing a first space and a back side facing a second space, and the cavity is accessible from both the first and second spaces.

32. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the first space is a patient room and the second space is an adjoining corridor.

33. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the first space is a patient room and the second space is an adjoining room.

34. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the equipment storage module has one or more doors on both the front and back sides thereof, and each door is movable between a first position allowing access to the cavity and a second position preventing access to the cavity.

35. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least one door is opaque.

36. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least one door is transparent.

37. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least one door includes an LCD panel.

38. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein at least one door is lockable.

39. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, further comprising a light coupled to one of the walls of the enclosure.

40. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the light is coupled to a top wall of the enclosure.

41. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the patient care equipment is supported on a bottom wall of the enclosure.

42. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the bottom wall is spaced from a floor supporting the enclosure.

43. The equipment storage module of any preceding claim, wherein the equipment storage module forms a portion of a modular wall in a hospital, the modular wall comprises a plurality of frame units configured to form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having predetermined heights and predetermined widths, and the equipment storage module is positioned in one of the wall spaces.

46. The modular wall of claim any preceding claim, wherein each frame unit has a plurality of connection points spaced apart from each other by a predetermined height and a predetermined width to form a grid, and the equipment storage module is coupled to at least one of the connection points.

47. The modular wall of claim any preceding claim, wherein the equipment storage module has a width substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined width of the connection points and having a height substantially equal to a multiple, including one, of the predetermined height of the connection points.

44. An equipment storage module for use with a modular wall including a plurality of frame units configured to form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having predetermined heights and predetermined widths, the equipment storage module comprising an enclosure having a cavity in which patient care equipment is configured to be stored, the patient care equipment having a first connector, the enclosure having a second connector configured to be coupled to the first connector when the patient care equipment is stored in the cavity, the equipment storage module being positioned in one of the wall spaces to form a portion of the modular wall.

45. A modular wall in a hospital comprising:

a plurality of frame units configured to form a grid of vertically and laterally spaced apart wall spaces having predetermined heights and predetermined widths, and

an equipment storage module positioned in one of the wall spaces to form a portion of the modular wall, the equipment storage module comprising an enclosure having a cavity in which patient care equipment is configured to be stored, the patient care equipment having a first connector, the enclosure having a second connector configured to be coupled to the first connector when the patient care equipment is stored in the cavity.