CABINET FOR DISPENSING MEDICINES AT PREDETERMINED TIMES

• US 3,762,601 A
• Filed: 08/14/1972
• Issued: 10/02/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PMR, Inc.
• Original Assignee: John T. Mclaughlin
• Inventors: McLaughlin, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tollberg, Stanley H.
• Application Number:
  US05/280,655
• Time in Patent Office: 414 Days
• Field of Search: 221/154,2,103,3,69,4,5,9,15,8,12,92 206/41.2R 70/267,441 312/215
• US Class Current: 221/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0445 for preventing drug dispensing during a predetermined time period
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0481 working on a schedule basis

Abstract

A cabinet containing individual compartments each with an individual time lock for holding various doses of prescribed medicines respectively is positioned adjacent a given patient'"'"''"'"'s bed. The individual time locks are programmed to open at given times during a 24 hour period at which the medicine in the corresponding compartment is to be given to the patient. A signal light advises a nurse whenever any one of the compartments is unlocked. It is thus assured that the correct dose of the correct prescribed medicine is given to the correct patient at the correct given time for that particular medicine.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing a given dose of a prescribed medicine to a given patient at a given time during a 24 hour period, comprising, in combination:

a. an enclosure means including at least one individual compartment for holding said given dose of prescribed medicine positioned adjacent to said given patient, said compartment having a door;

b. time lock means connected to said door to maintain the compartment normally locked;

c. means connected to said time lock means for setting at least one specific time corresponding to said given time during said 24 hour period at which said door is unlocked to provide access to said compartment;

d. said enclosure means including a main door covering the compartment door and having a key lock so that access to the compartment can only be had by first unlocking the main door, the key to the main door being in the possession of a nurse; and

, e. signal means responsive to said specific time for providing a signal to notify a nurse that the given time has arrived for the patient to take the given dose of medicine whereby the nurse may enter the patient'"'"''"'"'s room, unlock the main door, and dispense the given dose of medicine from the compartment to the patient whereby it is assured that the correct dose of the correct prescribed medicine is given to the correct patient at the correct time.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said signal means includes a light on the side of the enclosure means visible to the patient when said signal is provided.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, including another door providing access to said compartment by a key so that access may be had by authorized personnel independently of locking and unlocking of the compartment by said time lock means, whereby said compartment may be stocked with said given dosE of prescribed medicine.

4. An apparatus for dispensing various doses of various prescribed medicines to a given patient at given times during a 24 hour period, comprising, in combination:

a. an enclosure defined by a cabinet positionable adjacent to said patient;

b. a plurality of individual compartments in said cabinet, each having an access door with an individual time lock for holding various doses of said medicines;

c. time lock setting means in said cabinet connected to said time locks for enabling the programming of given times when the individual compartment doors will respectively be unlocked so that each door will only be unlocked at those given times during the 24 hour period when the given medicine in the associated compartment is to be given to the patient;

d. signal means connected to said time lock setting means for providing a signal to a nurse whenever any one of said individual doors is unlocked; and

, e. a main door on said cabinet mechanically locked by a key in the possession of said nurse, said main door blocking access to said individual doors when closed whereby said nurse, when receiving said signal, can enter the patient'"'"''"'"'s room, unlock the main door and dispense medicine from that particular compartment whose door has been unlocked by the programming of the time lock setting means so that it is assured that the correct dose of the correct prescribed medicine is given to the correct patient at the correct given time for that particular medicine.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, in which each individual compartment door has an associated signal light which is automatically energized when the associated individual compartment door is unlocked so that the correct compartment for the given time at which the given medicine therein is to be dispensed is identified.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5, in which said cabinet includes another door providing access to all of said compartments by a single key so that the various doses of different medicines may easily be placed in the various compartments without disturbing the time lock setting means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, in which said signal means include a main light mounted on the exterior of said cabinet connected to be energized whenever one of said individual compartment doors is unlocked;

and in which said main door for said compartments additionally includes a time lock connected to be unlocked whenever any one of said individual compartment doors is unlocked.