Apparatus for dispensing medical items

• US 6,776,306 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: MedSelect, Inc. (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Michael, James A., Frederick, David T., Graef, H. Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh, Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Butler, Michael E.
• Application Number:
  US09/921,014
• Time in Patent Office: 1,111 Days
• Field of Search: 700/236, 700/242, 221/6, 221/75
• US Class Current: 221/75
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A dispenser (10) for dispensing medical items (68, 70, 72) includes dispenser modules (28, 30) movably mounted thereon. The dispenser modules are selectively operative to dispense medical items therefrom into a path (54) which is connected to a delivery area (20) of the dispenser. The dispenser and the dispenser modules therein are configured to provide security against unauthorized access thereto. However an authorized user is enabled to readily access the dispenser modules and the medical items therein by unlocking a lock (22), opening a door (16) and extending the dispenser modules through an opening (18). With the dispenser modules in the extended position the medical items therein may be replenished. Alternatively, the dispenser modules may be disconnected from the dispenser and replaced with substitute dispenser modules.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

(a) positioning a rotatable helix of a first size adjacent a reference surface within an enclosure of a medical item dispenser, wherein the helix includes a longitudinal axis, wherein the reference surface has rows of human readable indicia thereon, wherein the rows are spaced in aligned side by side relation, wherein the rows extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the enclosure is operative to respectively support different sized helixes positioned adjacent the reference surface, wherein each indicia row respectively corresponds to a different sized helix;

(b) positioning a plurality of medical items in supporting connection with the reference surface, wherein each medical item is positioned between turns of the helix;

(c) dispensing at least one medical item from the medical item dispenser through rotation of the helix, wherein indicia in a first row is operative to indicate a quantity of medical items in the helix, wherein indicia in a second row is operative to indicate a quantity of medical items in a helix of a second size, wherein the first size differs from the second size;

(d) determining a quantity of medical items remaining positioned in the helix by viewing first row indicia;

(e) removing the helix from adjacent the reference surface;

(f) positioning a rotatable helix of a second size adjacent the reference surface;

(g) positioning a plurality of medical items in supporting connection with the reference surface, wherein each medical item is positioned between turns of the helix of a second size;

(h) dispensing at least one medical item from the medical item dispenser through rotation of the helix of a second size;

(i) determining a quantity of medical items remaining positioned in the helix of a second size by viewing second row indicia.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein (d) includes viewing first row indicia through turns of the helix.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the reference surface has three rows of human readable indicia thereon.

4. A method comprising:

(a) positioning a rotatable helix of a first size adjacent a reference surface within an enclosure of a medical item dispenser, wherein the helix includes a longitudinal axis, wherein the reference surface has rows of human readable indicia thereon, wherein the reference surface has indicia thereon in contrasting colors, wherein the rows are spaced in aligned side by side relation, wherein the rows extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein the enclosure is operative to support different sized helixes positioned adjacent the reference surface, wherein each indicia row respectively corresponds to a different sized helix;

(b) positioning a plurality of medical items in supporting connection with the reference surface, wherein each medical item is positioned between turns of the helix;

(c) dispensing at least one medical item from the medical item dispenser through rotation of the helix, wherein indicia in a first row is operative to indicate a quantity of medical items in the helix, wherein indicia in a second row is operative to indicate a quantity of medical items in a helix of a second size, wherein the first size differs from the second size;

(d) determining a quantity of medical items remaining positioned in the helix by viewing first row indicia.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein first row indicia color differs from second row indicia color.

6. The method according to claim 4 wherein each indicia row includes a plurality of aligned numerals.

7. The method according to claim 4 wherein (b) includes positioning a plurality of medical items having substantially the same size in supporting connection with the reference surface.

8. The method according to claim 7 wherein each indicia row respectively corresponds to a different medical item size.

9. The method according to claim 4 wherein the reference surface has indicia thereon indicative of numbers of medical items in a helix.