Methods and apparatus for dispensing items

• US 6,760,643 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2001
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Inventors: Lipps, Randall A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Shapiro, Jeffery A
• Application Number:
  US09/873,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029405A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,128 Days
• Field of Search: 700/231, 700/244, 221/2, 221/9, 368/10, 312/215, 206/459.1, 206/438, 206/538, 206/440, 206/441
• US Class Current: 700/231
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/342 Cards defining paid or billed services or quantities
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/025 by means, e.g. cards, providing billing information at the time of purchase, e.g. identification of seller or purchaser, quantity of goods delivered or to be delivered

Abstract

The invention provides methods and apparatus for dispensing items from a dispensing unit. According to the invention, the dispensing unit comprises a plurality of locations in which the items are held, a processor in which records corresponding to the items on the unit are stored, and a plurality of item switches corresponding to the locations in which the items are held. The item switches are connected to the processor so that a user of the dispensing unit can input records of items removed from the unit into the processor. The apparatus described is particularly suited for dispensing medical supplies although the apparatus will be usable for other types of items as well. Preferred embodiments will include a plurality of visual indicators, typically in the form of light emitting diodes, corresponding to the locations in which the items are held. Upon selection of a desired item from a list of items held by the unit, the visual indicator corresponding to the item is actuated so that the user can locate the desired item quickly and conveniently with the help of the visual indicator.

Claims

1. A dispensing unit for dispensing items held by the unit and for producing a record of the items dispensed, the dispensing unit comprising:

a plurality of individual storage compartments for holding a plurality of different items with at least some of the compartments holding more than one item;

a processor including means for storing records corresponding to the items held by the unit; and

a plurality of manually touch-activated item switches, the item switches arranged at the unit so that each item switch is located at or adjacent to and has a one to one correspondence with a respective one of the storage compartments;

wherein each item switch is activated once for each item removed from its corresponding compartment, and wherein the item switches are connected to the processor so that actuation of the item switches produces a record of items removed from the dispensing unit.

2. The unit of claim 1, further comprising a display screen connected to the processor.

3. The unit of claim 2, wherein the display screen is a touch sensitive panel, and wherein information can be entered into the processor through the touch sensitive panel.

4. The unit of claim 1, wherein the item storage compartments comprise a plurality of shelves, and wherein the shelves are subdivided by dividers.

5. The unit of claim 4, wherein at least some of the shelves are movable to adjust the heights of the compartments.

6. The unit of claim 4, wherein at least some of the dividers are movable to adjust the widths of the compartments.

7. The unit of claim 1, further comprising:

means for displaying a list of items held by the unit;

means for entering a selection from the list of items into the processor; and

a plurality of visual indicators connected to the processor, each visual indicator corresponding to and at or adjacent to one of the storage compartments,

wherein entry of a selection from the list of items actuates a visual indicator corresponding to the storage compartment in which that item is held.

8. The unit of claim 1, further comprising means for connecting the processor to computer equipment remote from the dispensing unit.

9. The unit of claim 1, further comprising means for entering information identifying a user of the device into the processor.

10. The unit of claim 9, wherein access to the items is provided upon entry of the identifying information.

11. The unit of claim 10, further comprising means for bypassing the means for entering information so that access to the items is provided without entering the user identifying information.

12. The unit of claim 10, wherein the unit includes a door lockable and unlockable by the processor, and wherein the door is unlocked by the processor in response to entry of the identifying information.

13. The unit of claim 1, wherein the unit comprises a cabinet rollable on wheels at the bottom of the cabinet.

14. The unit of claim 1, further comprising means for switching the processor into a mode for placing items on the unit, in which mode the placement of items on the unit can be recorded by actuating the item switches corresponding to the compartments in which the items are placed.

15. The unit of claim 14, wherein the mode switching means comprises a key lock.

16. The unit of claim 1, wherein the items are medical supplies, and wherein the unit further comprises means for entering information corresponding to a particular patient for whom the medical supplies are to be used.

17. The unit of claim 16, further comprising means for displaying a list of patients from which a particular patient may be selected and entered into the processor.

18. The unit of claim 17, wherein the patient list display means includes means for displaying both a list of selected patients and a global list of patients.

29. The unit of claim 1, wherein the plurality of item switches comprises at least three item switches.

19. A unit for dispensing items held by the unit, the dispensing unit comprising:

a plurality of individual compartments comprising a plurality of shelves and dividers for holding the items;

a processor for storing information corresponding to the items held by the unit;

display means connected to the processor;

means for entering information into the processor;

a plurality of manually touch-activated item switches connected to the processor, wherein the item switches are arranged at the unit so that each item switch is located at or adjacent to and has a one to one correspondence with a respective one of the compartments, and wherein each item switch is actuated once for each item removed from its corresponding compartment; and

a plurality of visual indicators connected to the processor, wherein the visual indicators are arranged at the unit so that each visual indicator is at or adjacent to, and has a one to one correspondence with, one of the compartments.

20. A method for dispensing items from a dispensing unit holding the items, the method comprising:

removing first and second desired items from the dispensing unit, the first and second items held at the same location at the dispensing unit and removed at the same time; and

operating an input device at or adjacent to the location where the desired items are held, wherein operation of the input device comprises manually touching an exposed item switch which produces a record of the item'"'"'s removal, with the input device actuated one time corresponding to the removal of the first desired item, and another time corresponding to the second desired item.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the record of the item'"'"'s removal is stored in a processor located on the unit.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

selecting an entry corresponding to a desired item from a list of entries corresponding to a plurality of different items, wherein selection of the entry actuates an indicator in close proximity to the location where the desired item is held.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

updating a record of the number of items held by the dispensing unit based on the operation of the input device.

24. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

entering an identifier into the processor, said identifier corresponding to the user of the device.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

making the items available for removal in response to the entry of the user identifier into the processor.

26. A method for maintaining a supply of items on a dispensing unit, the method comprising:

removing items from the dispensing unit;

recording the removal of items from the dispensing unit by selectively actuating input devices on the dispensing unit by manually touching exposed item switches, said exposed item switches at or adjacent to and having a one to one correspondence with respective ones of the locations of the items on the dispensing unit;

periodically placing items onto the dispensing unit; and

recording the placement of items onto the dispensing unit by selectively actuating input devices on the dispensing unit by manually touching exposed item switches, said exposed item switches at or adjacent to and having a one to one correspondence with respective ones of the locations of the items on the dispensing units;

wherein each item switch is actuated once for each item removed from its corresponding location.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

preparing a record of items removed from the dispensing unit since the previous placement of items on the unit;

placing items on the unit based on the prepared record.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the placement of a plurality of items of a single type equal to the number of items on the prepared record is recorded by actuating the input device corresponding to the location of that item on the dispensing unit one time.

30. An apparatus for dispensing items associated with the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a first item storage compartment for storing a first item type;

a second item storage compartment for storing a second item type;

a first item switch at or adjacent to and having a one to one correspondence with the first item storage compartment, wherein the first item switch is actuated once each time an item of the first type is removed;

a second item switch at or adjacent to and having a one to one correspondence with the second item storage compartment, wherein the second item switch is actuated once each time an item of the second type is removed;

a processing unit coupled to the first item switch and the second item switch, wherein the processing unit is associated with a computer readable medium, and wherein the computer readable medium includes instructions executable by the processing unit to;

receive an indication of actuation of the first item switch;

receive an indication of actuation of the second item switch;

store records corresponding to the first item type based at least in part on the indication of actuation of the first item switch;

store records corresponding to the second item type based at least in part on the indication of actuation of the second item switch;

receive a personal identification; and

allow access to the first item storage compartment and the second item storage compartment based at least in part on the personal identification.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first and second item types are medical supplies, and wherein the personal identification is a patient identification.

32. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the first and second item types are medical supplies, and wherein the personal identification is a caregiver identification.

33. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein the indication of actuation of the first item switch indicates a status selected from a group consisting of:

removal of an item of the first item type from the first item compartment, and addition of an item of the first item type to the first item compartment.