Secure medicament dispensing cabinet, method and system

• US 7,263,411 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2003
• Issued: 08/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/09/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: Parata Systems, LLC (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Holmes, Eric Lamont, Morgan, Stuart, Jankowski, Stan, Shows, Paul Randall, Bergeron, Michael A., Parks, Robert, Kaintz, Ryan, Goodworth, Matthew, Beale, Matthew Stuart
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Khoi H.
• Application Number:
  US10/637,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20040108323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: 221/2, 221/7, 221/9, 221/13, 221/131, 221/129, 700/237, 700/232, 700/236, 700/244
• US Class Current: 700/237
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/24 Rotary or oscillatory members
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/30 two or more magazines having independent delivery
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/42 the articles being delivered by motor-driven means
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/44 in which magazines the articles are stored in bulk
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/54 about vertical axes
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/62 in which the articles are stored in compartments in fixed receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/18 specially adapted for controlling several coin-freed apparatus from one place
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 5/26 Interlocks, e.g. for locking the doors of compartments other than that to be used
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/001 Interfacing with vending machines using mobile or wearable devices
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/002 Vending machines being part of a centrally controlled network of vending machines
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A medicament dispensing cabinet is comprised of a frame, at least one controller, and a plurality of drawers each movably carried by the frame and each defining a plurality of dispensing cells. A plurality of removable dispensing devices is provided with each one carried by one of the dispensing cells. Each of the dispensing cells further comprises a motor for providing rotary motion to one of the removable dispensing devices in response to the controller, a sensor operating in conjunction with the controller for counting medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices, a chute for receiving medicament dispensed from one of the removable dispensing devices and a chute gate for controlling access to the chute. The cabinet may additionally comprise a chute gate release responsive to the controller for controlling the chute gate and a chute gate sensor connected to the controller and responsive to the position of the chute gate. The cabinet may be used in conjunction with a number of processes including dispensing, secure-pickup (insuring the person picking up the dispensed medicament is authorized to do so), back-end verification (verifying the identity of the person picking up the dispensed medicament), a process for removing a dispensing device from a drawer, and a process for inserting a dispensing device into a drawer.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

dispensing an amount of medicament into a chute;

inputting information identifying a person requesting access to the dispensed medicament after the medicament has been dispensed into the chute;

determining if said person requesting access has authority to pick up the dispensed medicament; and

selectively permitting access to the dispensed medicament in the chute in response directly to said determining.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said determining includes determining if the person requesting access is the same as a person initiating the dispensing or if the person requesting access has authority to pick up medicament for the person initiating the dispensing.

3. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising inputting information identifying a person picking up the dispensed medicament after the medicament has been picked up.

4. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising inputting information identifying the dispenser which has performed said dispensing.

8. A method of claim 1 wherein selectively permitting access comprises selectively releasing a chute gate in response to said determining.

5. A method, comprising:

identifying a dispenser which requires service;

inputting user information;

determining if said user has authority to access all dispensers in a drawer carrying the dispenser requiring service and, if so;

issuing an unlock command for the drawer carrying the dispenser requiring service;

awaiting receipt of a signal from a drawer unlock switch;

monitoring a dispensing device switch to insure that the dispenser requiring service is the dispenser removed; and

monitoring a drawer position switch to determine when said drawer is closed.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said service includes one of cleaning, stocking, and maintenance.

7. A method, comprising:

identifying a dispenser which requires insertion into a drawer;

inputting user information;

determining if said user has authority to access all dispensers in the drawer into which the dispenser is to be inserted and, if so;

issuing an unlock command for the drawer;

awaiting receipt of a signal from a drawer unlock switch;

monitoring a dispensing device switch to insure that the dispenser is inserted into the proper position; and

monitoring a drawer position switch to determine when said drawer is closed.