DATA SYSTEM FOR MEDICAL AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTS

• US 3,656,687 A
• Filed: 10/24/1969
• Issued: 04/18/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Billy M. Jensen, Russell H. Romney
• Original Assignee: Billy M. Jensen, Russell H. Romney
• Inventors: Romney, Russell H., Jensen, Billy M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Meister, James M.
• Application Number:
  US04/868,982
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 234/76-78,45,89,131,213,2 40/21C
• US Class Current: 234/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/00 Methods or arrangements for marking the record carrier in digital fashion
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/04 controlled by sensing markings on the record carrier being punched
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 1/06 Manually-controlled devices

Abstract

For maintaining error-free records in hospitals and other environments, a master identification tab or device for a primary subject or object receives indicia including coded information and later the coded information is directly transferred to a dependent identification tab or device which in turn is affixed to a subordinate subject or object. Thus, manual transfer of information is avoided and high accuracy assured. Additional data may be recorded on the dependent identification tab. When the present system is used in hospitals, the primary subject may be a patient and the subordinate subject may be a prescription container, a specimen tube or the like.

Claims

1. Apparatus for transferring data from a dual faced master tab bearing operative and inoperative data elements, to slave tab having perforable data-indicating elements which comprises a punch having a multiplicity of reciprocable punch elements arranged individually to overlie individual data elements on the master tab, selective aligning means for positioning and positively holding the dual faced master tab in either of two positions dependent on which face of said tab faces the punch elements, means for positioning the slave tab with its perforable elements aligned with said punch elements, means for forcing the master tab against said punch elements whereby said operative data elements on the adjacent face of said master tab force the respective aligned punch elements to perforate said slave tab.

2. Apparatus for transferring data from a master tab bearing operative and inoperative data elements, to slave tab having perforable data-indicating elements which comprise a punch having a mutiplicity of reciprocable punch elements arranged individually to overlie individual data elements on a master tab, means for positioning a slave tab with its perforable elements aligned with said punch elements, latching and aligning means to hold both the master tab and the slave tab, said means being adapted to place the slave tab in one of two positions dependent upon the orientation of the master tab and means for forcing the master tab against said punch elements whereby said operative data elements on said master tab force the respective aligned punch elements to perforate said slave tab.

3. Apparatus for transferring data from a master tab bearing operative and inoperative data elements, to slave tab having perforable data-indicating elements which comprise a punch having a set of slidable punch elements arranged individually to overlie individual data elements on a master tab, means for positioning a slave tab with its perforable elements aligned with said punch elements, a relatively fixed support for the slave tab, the set of slidable punch elements being mounted therein, a separate support for a master tab pivoted to said fixed support, a separate hinged reaction member adapted to overlie said slave tab, means for latching said reaction member firmly to the fixed support, means for locking both the master tab and the slave tab in aligned positions for punching and means for forcing the master against said punch elements whereby said operative data elements on said master tab force the respective aligned punch elements to perforate said slave tab.

4. A method of correlating one subject or object with another subject or object comprising:

fastening a first identification device to one subject or object;

providing the first identification device with indicia defining the identity of the one subject or object;

using at least selected parts of the indicia of the first identification device while so fastened to the one subject or object to provide a second identification device with mechanically derived congruent indicia also defining the identity of the one subject or object; and

physically joining the second identification device to the other subject or object.

5. A method of correlating a health cAre patient with another subject or object subordinate to the patient comprising:

fastening a first identification device to a patient with a leash spanning therebetween;

providing the first identification device with indicia defining the identity of the patient;

bringing the patient and an indicia-transferring machine together at a common location;

placing the first identification device in the machine with the leash continuing to span between the first identification device and the patient;

placing a second identification device in the machine;

actuating the machine to sense and mechanically transfer at least selected parts of the indicia of the first identification device to the second identification device as patient-identifying indicia;

physically joining the second identification device to the other subordinate subject or object.