Portable nursing service cart and associated method

• US 8,210,548 B1
• Filed: 08/15/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: June Agyemang
• Original Assignee: June Agyemang
• Inventors: Agyemang, June
• Primary Examiner(s): Olszewski, John R
• Assistant Examiner(s): MEYER, JACOB B
• Application Number:
  US12/541,935
• Time in Patent Office: 1,053 Days
• Field of Search: 280638- 797
• US Class Current: 280/47.35
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/13 Trolleys, e.g. carts
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/003 Non-transparent side walls
• CPC Class Codes: B62B 3/005 Details of storage means, e.g. drawers, bins or racks

Abstract

A portable nursing service cart preferable includes a top and a bottom platform, a central storage section, front and side access doors, a plurality of sliding drawers and compartments, a top panel for receiving and supporting documents and a pair of apertures formed at opposite lateral ends for assisting a user to grip and transport the body. A plurality of caster wheels is coupled to an underside of the bottom platform. A plurality of display screens are situated on the top platform and spaced above the central storage section. The service cart may house and support a variety of medical equipment and medical records to provide nurses and other health caretakers with a convenient means of simultaneously administering healthcare and administration of patient medical records.

Claims

1. A multi-functional portable nursing cart for providing multiple medical treatment functions, said portable nursing cart comprising:

a body having top and bottom platforms and a central storage section positioned between said top and bottom platforms;

a plurality of display screens situated on said top platform and spaced above said central storage section;

a plurality of caster wheels coupled to an underside of said bottom platform and spaced from said central storage section;

a central processing unit (CPU) stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a first one of said display screens, said central storage section having a pair of front access doors pivotally coupled to an anterior face thereof, said central storage section further having a side access door pivotally coupled to a lateral face thereof;

a blood pressure cuff and monitoring apparatus stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a second one of said display screens; and

a digital thermometer stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a third one of said display screens;

wherein said top platform has a concave shape for receiving and supporting documents thereon.

2. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 1, wherein said central storage section comprises:

a divider wall monolithically formed with top and bottom inner sides of said central storage section such that said central storage section is bifurcated into anterior and posterior regions respectively;

a plurality of sliding drawers independently situated with said anterior region and remaining isolated from said posterior region; and

a plurality of compartments situated within said posterior region and remaining isolated from said anterior region;

wherein said front pair of access doors are located in front of said sliding drawers;

wherein said side access door is located at a lateral side of said sliding drawers and said compartments respectively.

3. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 2, wherein said central storage section further includes:

a notch formed within a top end thereof, said notch extending from said anterior face of said central storage section and terminating midway to a posterior face of said central storage section; and

a retractable computer keyboard tray slidably interfitted within said notch and being juxtaposed subjacent to said top platform.

4. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 3, wherein a posterior edge of said top platform is stepped downwardly towards a top surface of said central storage section, said display screens being located directly on said posterior edge of said top platform.

5. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 3, wherein said bottom platform comprises:

a planar top surface; and

an outer shoulder monolithically formed with said top surface, said outer shoulder being registered orthogonal to an entire circumference of said top surface;

wherein said outer shoulder has a top edge and a bottom edge terminating above and below said top surface such that first and second cavities are formed above and below said top surface;

wherein a bottom end of said central storage section is nested within said first cavity and said caster wheels are located within said second cavity.

6. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 2, wherein each of said compartments is accessible when said side access door is pivoted to an open position.

7. A multi-functional portable nursing cart for providing multiple medical treatment functions, said portable nursing cart comprising:

a body having top and bottom platforms and a central storage section intermediately positioned between said top and bottom platforms;

a plurality of display screens situated on said top platform and spaced above said central storage section;

a plurality of caster wheels coupled to an underside of said bottom platform and spaced from said central storage section;

a central processing unit (CPU) stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a first one of said display screens, said central storage section having a pair of front access doors pivotally coupled to an anterior face thereof, said central storage section further having a side access door pivotally coupled to a lateral face thereof;

a blood pressure cuff and monitoring apparatus stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a second one of said display screens; and

a digital thermometer stored within said central storage section and communicatively coupled to a third one of said display screens;

wherein said top platform has a concave shape for receiving and supporting documents thereon, said top platform further having a pair of apertures formed at opposite lateral ends thereof for assisting a user to grip and transport said body.

8. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 7, wherein said central storage section comprises:

a divider wall monolithically formed with top and bottom inner sides of said central storage section such that said central storage section is bifurcated into anterior and posterior regions respectively;

a plurality of sliding drawers independently situated with said anterior region and remaining isolated from said posterior region; and

a plurality of compartments situated within said posterior region and remaining isolated from said anterior region;

wherein said front pair of access doors are located in front of said sliding drawers;

wherein said side access door is located at a lateral side of said sliding drawers and said compartments respectively.

9. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 8, wherein said central storage section further includes:

a notch formed within a top end thereof, said notch extending from said anterior face of said central storage section and terminating midway to a posterior face of said central storage section; and

a retractable computer keyboard tray slidably interfitted within said notch and being juxtaposed subjacent to said top platform.

10. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 9, wherein a posterior edge of said top platform is stepped downwardly towards a top surface of said central storage section, said display screens being located directly on said posterior edge of said top platform.

11. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 9, wherein said bottom platform comprises:

a planar top surface; and

an outer shoulder monolithically formed with said top surface, said outer shoulder being registered orthogonal to an entire circumference of said top surface;

wherein said outer shoulder has a top edge and a bottom edge terminating above and below said top surface such that first and second cavities are formed above and below said top surface;

wherein a bottom end of said central storage section is nested within said first cavity and said caster wheels are located within said second cavity.

12. The multi-functional portable nursing cart of claim 8, wherein each of said compartments is accessible when said side access door is pivoted to an open position.

13. A method of utilizing a multi-functional portable nursing cart for providing multiple medical treatment functions, said method comprising the chronological steps of:

providing a body having top and bottom platforms and a central storage section intermediately positioned between said top and bottom platforms;

providing and spacing a plurality of display screens above said central storage section by situating said display screens on said top platform;

providing and spacing a plurality of caster wheels from said central storage section by coupling said caster wheels to an underside of said bottom platform;

providing and storing a central processing unit (CPU) within said central storage section;

communicatively coupling said CPU to a first one of said display screens;

providing and pivotally coupling a pair of front access doors to an anterior face of said central storage section;

providing and pivotally coupling a side access door to a lateral face of said central storage section;

providing and storing a blood pressure cuff and monitoring apparatus within said central storage section;

communicatively coupling said blood pressure cuff and monitoring apparatus to a second one of said display screens;

providing and storing a digital thermometer within said central storage section; and

communicatively coupling said digital thermometer to a third one of said display screens;

wherein said top platform has a concave shape for receiving and supporting documents thereon, said top platform further having a pair of apertures formed at opposite lateral ends thereof for assisting a user to grip and transport said body.