Jerk-resistant drawer operating system
First Claim
1. A drawer operating system for controlling a drawer having a sliding direction, said drawer defined by a front end and a rear end and partitioned by walls into a plurality of bins consective with one another along the sliding direction for holding various dispensable items, said drawer housed in a cabinet and arranged to move between a closed position and graduated, progressively open positions to allow access to one or more bins and the contents stored therein, said system comprising:
- a) a linear encoder for monitoring the position and direction of movement of said drawer, including the length of opening said drawer on its preceding excursion, and for producing a plurality of electronic signals specific to the position and movement of said drawer;
b) drawer stop means arranged between said drawer and said cabinet;
c) a controller for receipt of said electronic signals; and
,d) an electronic solenoid, including a spring-loaded plunger slidingly mounted therein, for activation by said controller, after the beginning of the drawer-opening sequence, and during translational movement along said drawer stop means to drive a trigger attached thereto into contact with said drawer stop means to prevent said drawer from being manually opened beyond a certain distance out from said cabinet wherein a bin containing the items to be withdrawn is exposed.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A drawer operating system for controlling a drawer having a sliding direction, the drawer defined by a front end and a rear end and partitioned by walls into a plurality of bins consecutive with one another along the sliding direction for holding various dispensable items, the drawer housed in a cabinet and arranged to move between a closed position and graduated, progressively open positions to allow access to one or more bins and the contents stored therein, the system including a linear encoder for monitoring the position and direction of movement of the drawer, including the length of opening the drawer on its preceding excursion, and for producing a plurality of electronic signals specific to the position and movement of the drawer, a drawer stop device arranged between the drawer and the cabinet, a controller for receipt of the electronic signals, and an electric solenoid, including a spring-loaded plunger slidingly mounted therein, for activation by the controller, after the beginning of the drawer-opening sequence, and during translational movement along the drawer stop device to drive a trigger attached thereto into contact with the drawer stop device to prevent the drawer from being manually opened beyond a certain distance out from the cabinet wherein a bin containing the items to be withdrawn is exposed.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A drawer operating system for controlling a drawer having a sliding direction, said drawer defined by a front end and a rear end and partitioned by walls into a plurality of bins consective with one another along the sliding direction for holding various dispensable items, said drawer housed in a cabinet and arranged to move between a closed position and graduated, progressively open positions to allow access to one or more bins and the contents stored therein, said system comprising:
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a) a linear encoder for monitoring the position and direction of movement of said drawer, including the length of opening said drawer on its preceding excursion, and for producing a plurality of electronic signals specific to the position and movement of said drawer; b) drawer stop means arranged between said drawer and said cabinet; c) a controller for receipt of said electronic signals; and
,d) an electronic solenoid, including a spring-loaded plunger slidingly mounted therein, for activation by said controller, after the beginning of the drawer-opening sequence, and during translational movement along said drawer stop means to drive a trigger attached thereto into contact with said drawer stop means to prevent said drawer from being manually opened beyond a certain distance out from said cabinet wherein a bin containing the items to be withdrawn is exposed. - 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)
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24. A drawer operating system for controlling a drawer having a sliding direction, said system including a plurality of drawers housed in a cabinet, each said drawer defined by a front portion partitioned by walls into a plurality of bins consecutive with one another along the sliding direction for holding various dispensable items, formed therein for holding at least one pharmaceutical supply in each said bin, said drawer housed in a secure cabinet and arranged to move between a closed position and graduated, progressively open positions to allow access to one or more bins and the contents stored therein, said system comprising:
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a) means for locating a drawer in the cabinet carrying the desired supply and causing said drawer to be unlocked from its secure position in the cabinet and moved open a short distance to indicate to the user that said drawer is the appropriate drawer for extracting the supply therefrom; and
,b) drawer stop means arranged between the drawer and the cabinet and activated by said drawer locating means to allow the drawer to be manually pulled open a distance allowing access to the bins previously emptied of supplies and the first bin carrying supplies to be extracted therefrom; c) said locating means comprising a controller that includes a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and other computer sub-components that operate in conjunction with a software program, to initiate, control and terminate the opening of drawer, the extent to which it is allowed to be pulled open and to lock the drawer in the cabinet when the drawer is pushed closed in the cabinet. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. The process of controlling the opening and closing of an elongated drawer, housed in a cabinet, said drawer defined by a front end and a rear end and sub-divided into a plurality of consecutively spaced bins for holding material therein, and arrange to move between a fully closed position and a plurality of progressively open position, comprising the steps of:
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a) maintaining the drawer in a fully closed and locked position; b) tracking the length of opening of the drawer on its immediately preceding excursion; c) receiving coded information concerning the particular item needed and information as to the party entering the information; d) unlocking the drawer, upon receipt of appropriate coded information, to allow the drawer to be manually pulled open a distance to expose the material contained therein at least one bin; e) stopping further movement of the drawer when the appropriate bin has been exposed from the cabinet; f) removing the stopping action of the drawer to allow it to be manually closed in the cabinet; and
,g) locking the drawer in the cabinet upon manual shutting thereof. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification