Controlled access supply cabinet and system
First Claim
1. A controlled supply cabinet arrangement in which supply items are stored in respective drawers from which said items can later be removed by a user without removing the respective drawer from the supply cabinet, comprisingat least one rack of drawers, said drawers being disposed in respective spaces that are arrayed vertically in said rack;
- said drawers being slidable horizontally out of and into the respective spaces, and each of said drawers having a drawer pull thereon, each of said drawers containing at least one of said supply items;
a secure locking enclosure in which said rack of drawers is disposed, and having an interior defining a vertical shaftway adjacent said rack of drawers;
the enclosure having a front wall with an access door therein, the access door being situated adjacent said shaftway and alongside said at least one rack;
wherein each of said at least one rack of drawers is configured as a cart having wheels permitting the rack to be moved by rolling it horizontally into and out of said secure locking enclosure; and
wherein said enclosure includes a locking door that permits the cart to be rolled horizontally into place therein;
a transport mechanism movable vertically in said shaftway for fetching a selected one of said drawers, bringing the drawer to the access door where the user can remove one or more of said supply items from said drawer, and thereafter returning the drawer to its respective space in the rack;
the transport mechanism includinga platform disposed for vertical movement in said shaftway;
grip means on said platform for grasping the drawer pull of the selected drawer;
means for moving the grip means to draw the drawer out from its respective space in the rack, and thereafter pushing the drawer back into such space;
means slidably supporting the drawer; and
means for controllably raising and lowering the platform and drawer; and
a processor storing the identity of the contents of each said drawer and the location of the respective space for each said drawer, including control means for automatically directing the transport mechanism to the selected drawer, and causing the transport mechanism to bring the drawer from its respective space in the rack, present the selected drawer at said access door, and thereafter return the drawer to its space in the rack.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An automated supplies cabinet dispenses supply items that are stored in a rack of drawers within a locking cabinet. A robotic transfer mechanism fetches the drawer containing the desired supply items, and brings it to an access portal at the front of the cabinet. A sliding door opens automatically to provide access. The supply articles can be RFID tagged and an RFID reader provides for automatic inventory updating when the articles are taken. The racks can take the form of carts that wheel into place in the cabinet. A light curtain disposed at the access portal can block movement of the door and of the transfer mechanism if it detects a hand reaching in. The cabinet provides an audit trail and facilitates inventory control and patient billing.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A controlled supply cabinet arrangement in which supply items are stored in respective drawers from which said items can later be removed by a user without removing the respective drawer from the supply cabinet, comprising
at least one rack of drawers, said drawers being disposed in respective spaces that are arrayed vertically in said rack; - said drawers being slidable horizontally out of and into the respective spaces, and each of said drawers having a drawer pull thereon, each of said drawers containing at least one of said supply items;
a secure locking enclosure in which said rack of drawers is disposed, and having an interior defining a vertical shaftway adjacent said rack of drawers;
the enclosure having a front wall with an access door therein, the access door being situated adjacent said shaftway and alongside said at least one rack;
wherein each of said at least one rack of drawers is configured as a cart having wheels permitting the rack to be moved by rolling it horizontally into and out of said secure locking enclosure; and
wherein said enclosure includes a locking door that permits the cart to be rolled horizontally into place therein;a transport mechanism movable vertically in said shaftway for fetching a selected one of said drawers, bringing the drawer to the access door where the user can remove one or more of said supply items from said drawer, and thereafter returning the drawer to its respective space in the rack;
the transport mechanism includinga platform disposed for vertical movement in said shaftway; grip means on said platform for grasping the drawer pull of the selected drawer; means for moving the grip means to draw the drawer out from its respective space in the rack, and thereafter pushing the drawer back into such space; means slidably supporting the drawer; and means for controllably raising and lowering the platform and drawer; and a processor storing the identity of the contents of each said drawer and the location of the respective space for each said drawer, including control means for automatically directing the transport mechanism to the selected drawer, and causing the transport mechanism to bring the drawer from its respective space in the rack, present the selected drawer at said access door, and thereafter return the drawer to its space in the rack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
- said drawers being slidable horizontally out of and into the respective spaces, and each of said drawers having a drawer pull thereon, each of said drawers containing at least one of said supply items;
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5. A controlled supply cabinet arrangement in which supply items are stored in respective drawers from which said items can later be removed without removing the drawer from the cabinet, comprising
at least two racks of drawers, said drawers each being adapted to contain at least one supply item, and said drawers being disposed in respective spaces that are arrayed vertically in each of said racks; - said drawers being slidable horizontally out of and into the respective spaces, and each of said drawers having a drawer pull thereon;
a secure locking enclosure in which said racks of drawers are disposed, the racks being situated facing one another and defining a vertical shaftway between the racks and adjacent said racks of drawers;
the enclosure having a front wall with an access door therein, the access door being adjacent and alongside said shaftway;a transport mechanism movable vertically in said shaftway adapted for fetching a selected one of said drawers from either of the racks of drawers that are facing each other adjacent said shaftway, bringing the drawer to the access door, and thereafter returning the drawer to its respective space in the respective rack;
the transport mechanism includinga platform disposed for vertical movement in said shaftway; grip means on said platform for grasping the drawer pull of the selected drawer from either of said racks; means for moving the grip means to draw the drawer out from its respective space in the rack, and thereafter pushing the drawer back into such space; means slidably supporting the drawer; and means for controllably raising and lowering the platform and drawer; and a processor storing the identity of the contents of each said drawer and the location of the respective space for each said drawer, including control means for automatically directing the transport mechanism to the selected drawer, and causing the transport mechanism to bring the drawer from its respective space in the rack, to present the selected drawer at said access door, and thereafter to return the drawer to its space in the respective rack. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- said drawers being slidable horizontally out of and into the respective spaces, and each of said drawers having a drawer pull thereon;
Specification