Storage tray

• US 6,693,537 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 02/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ruth Frank
• Original Assignee: Ruth Frank
• Inventors: Frank, Ruth
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Daniel J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T.
• Application Number:
  US09/866,640
• Publication Number:
  US 20020179484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 340/568.1, 340/566, 340/571, 340/572.1, 340/691, 705/2, 705/3, 206/217, 206/541, 206/557, 206/561, 206/570, 206/581, 206/564, 206/5, 206/83, 206/438, 206/63.5
• US Class Current: 340/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 29/08 Holders for articles of personal use in general, e.g. brushes
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 5/1094 Tables, working plates or trays
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms

Abstract

A personal item storage tray which includes a storage surface that incorporates a personal item identification, placement, retention, storage and removal apparatus or structure. One embodiment includes a substantially planar arrangement of depressions or recessed compartments designed to receive specific personal items such as, for example, eyeglasses, hearing aids and dentures. The compartments may be uniquely designed, shaped and marked to signal the uses of the compartment and to distinguish each compartment from the other to aid in visual identification and discrimination between the uses of each recessed compartment. The presence of items in the compartments is used to signal to the users of the tray that items are accounted for and not missing. The bottom surface of the tray includes a non-skid surface to avoid accidental or undesirable lateral movement. The tray is designed with a moldable or shapeable material. The tray has personal item inventory and management automation features and devices incorporated into its body to assist nursing staff or other users in accounting for personal items. Such inventory or missing item notification automation features includes a system having timers, sensors, and alerting signaling devices. These devices detect the presence of personal items within the tray storage areas and sound, signal or emit a missing item indication. The staff or other users of the tray are alerted to the necessity to search for a missing item when the tray signal system is activated.

Claims

1. A tray comprising:

a storage surface;

a plurality of personal item storage structures extending below said storage surface, said storage structures adapted to receive a different one of said personal items, said personal items comprising eyeglasses, hearing aids and a denture container;

a supporting structure formed underneath said storage surface, said supporting structure adapted to prevent movement of said tray;

one or more personal item placement identification portions formed onto a lower surface inside at least one said storage structures; and

a plurality of personal item presence sensing portions, at least part of said presence sensing portions are formed into one or more sides of at least one said storage structures, said presence sensing portions comprising a signal mechanism to indicate that one or more personal items are not present in at least one said storage structures.

2. The tray of claim 1 further comprising:

a movement sense mechanism and alert signal mechanism which triggers and communicates an alarm signal when the tray is dropped.