Cart systems and methods for delivering pharmaceutical items to a retail seller
First Claim
1. A cart system for controlled distribution of pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller of pharmaceuticals, the system comprising:
- a cart including;
a base,wheels connected to an underside of the base,framework extending upwardly from the base, the framework forming an interior storage region having a front, a rear, a first side, and an opposing second side, wherein the framework defines an access opening to the front of the interior storage region,a first door movably coupled to the framework to provide a closed position in which the first door extends over at least a portion of the access opening, and an open position in which the first door is displaced from the access opening, wherein the first door defines at least one window configured to permit viewing of the interior storage region through the window in the closed position,a locking mechanism selectively locking the first door in the closed position; and
a plurality of totes removably disposed within the interior storage region and each configured to contain a plurality of differently sized pharmaceutical items;
wherein the system is configured to provide a shipping state in which the totes are loaded within the interior storage region, the door is locked in the closed position by the locking mechanism, a portion of each of the totes is visible from an exterior of the cart, and the totes cannot be removed from the interior storage region without evidence of tampering.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A cart system for distributing pharmaceutical items includes a cart and a plurality of totes. The cart has a wheeled base, framework, a door, and a locking mechanism. The framework extends upwardly from the base and forms an interior storage region having a front, a rear, and opposing sides. An access opening at the front is provided, with the door movable to a closed position that partially blocks the access opening. The locking mechanism selectively locks the door in the closed position. In a shipping state, the totes are loaded within the storage region and the door locked. The totes are visible from an exterior of the cart, but cannot be removed without evidence of tampering. The framework can divide the storage region into two or more columns, and includes platforms within the columns and arranged to define compartments sized to receive respective ones of the totes.
15 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A cart system for controlled distribution of pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller of pharmaceuticals, the system comprising:
-
a cart including; a base, wheels connected to an underside of the base, framework extending upwardly from the base, the framework forming an interior storage region having a front, a rear, a first side, and an opposing second side, wherein the framework defines an access opening to the front of the interior storage region, a first door movably coupled to the framework to provide a closed position in which the first door extends over at least a portion of the access opening, and an open position in which the first door is displaced from the access opening, wherein the first door defines at least one window configured to permit viewing of the interior storage region through the window in the closed position, a locking mechanism selectively locking the first door in the closed position; and a plurality of totes removably disposed within the interior storage region and each configured to contain a plurality of differently sized pharmaceutical items; wherein the system is configured to provide a shipping state in which the totes are loaded within the interior storage region, the door is locked in the closed position by the locking mechanism, a portion of each of the totes is visible from an exterior of the cart, and the totes cannot be removed from the interior storage region without evidence of tampering. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
25. A system for controlled distribution of pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to first and second secondary sellers of pharmaceuticals, the system comprising:
-
first and second cart systems each comprising; a wheeled base maintaining framework forming an interior storage region divided into at least three columns each having a width and a length, a door assembly pivotably coupled to the framework for selectively blocking an access opening to each of the columns, a plurality of totes stored within respective ones of the columns, each of the totes having a length greater than a width, the length of each of the totes being slightly less than the length of the columns, and the width of each of the totes being slightly less than the width of each of the columns, a plurality of pharmaceutical items contained within respective ones of the totes, wherein at least one of the pharmaceutical items in a first one of the totes differs in format from pharmaceutical items in an other of the totes, wherein the cart systems are arranged in a shipping state in which the door assembly is locked in a closed position relative to the corresponding framework to prevent removal of the corresponding totes; wherein pharmaceutical items of the first cart system are pre-selected for a first secondary seller, and the pharmaceutical items of the second cart system are pre-selected for a second secondary seller, the pharmaceutical items of the first cart system differing from the pharmaceutical items of the second cart system.
-
-
26. A method for distributing pharmaceutical items from a primary distributor to a secondary seller of pharmaceuticals, the method comprising:
-
maintaining an inventory of pharmaceutical items at the primary distributor; receiving a request from the secondary seller to the primary distributor for a plurality of different pharmaceutical items; retrieving a first set of the requested pharmaceutical items from the inventory of the primary distributor; placing the retrieved first set of requested pharmaceutical items into a first tote; retrieving a second set of the requested pharmaceutical items from the inventory of the primary distributor; placing the second set of requested pharmaceutical items into a second tote; loading the first and second totes into a cart including; a base, wheels connected to an underside of the base, framework extending upwardly from the base, the framework forming an interior storage region having a front, a rear, and opposing sides, wherein the framework defines an access opening to the front of the interior storage region, a door assembly coupled to the framework to provide a closed position in which the door assembly is extended over the access opening, and an open position in which the door assembly is displaced from the access opening, the door assembly defining at least one window configured to permit viewing of the interior storage region in the closed position, wherein loading of the first and second totes into the cart includes disposing the first and second totes within the interior storage region; locking the door assembly relative to the framework to form a cart system in a shipping state, the first and second totes being secured within, but exteriorly visible through, the framework and the door assembly; and delivering the cart system in the shipping state to the secondary seller. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
-
Specification