Method and apparatus for securely storing medical items within a thermal treatment system

• US 8,487,738 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERA Systems Corporation (General Dynamics Corporation), Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Medical Solutions Incorporated
• Inventors: Faries, Durward I. Jr., Heymann, Bruce R., Hendrix, David
• Primary Examiner(s): SYED, NABIL H
• Application Number:
  US11/688,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20070215018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,310 Days
• Field of Search: 340/5.2, 340/5.52, 340/52.54, 340/5.6, 340/545.6, 340/539.12, 109/38, 109/23, 700/236, 700/242, 700/244, 219/494, 219/385, 219/394, 219/395, 219/497, 219/508
• US Class Current: 340/5.2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00084 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/0018 Electric heating
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/105 Cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/30 Containers specially adapted for packaging, protecting, dispensing, collecting or disposing of surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments for wound clamps A61B17/10; for ligaturing clips A61B17/122; packages or dispensers for surgical gloves or finger-stalls A61B42/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/44 having means for cooling or heating the devices or media
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 41/00 Locks with visible indication as to whether the lock is locked or unlocked indicator lights E05B17/10
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/0002 with electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/026 the bolt moving rectilinearly

Abstract

A locking mechanism for thermal treatment systems (e.g., systems heating and/or cooling solutions prior to the solutions being administered to the patient) or other medical equipment according to the present invention embodiments secures medications being stored and/or thermally treated therein. The locking mechanism includes an integrated monitoring and display system to determine and indicate the status of the thermal treatment system. The monitoring and display system includes indicator lights that allow for a visual representation indicating the locked or open states of system access doors and/or an audio system or alarm for alerting medial or other personnel to the status of the locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A system for thermally treating and securely maintaining medical items comprising:

a housing;

a thermal treatment unit disposed within said housing and including a compartment to receive and thermally treat at least one medical item therein, wherein said housing includes a plurality of access members each enabling access from external of said housing to said compartment and said at least one medical item; and

a common locking mechanism to selectively transition each of said access members of said housing between open and secured states in response to user manipulation of said locking mechanism and to indicate said state of each of said access members, wherein said locking mechanism includes;

a plurality of lock units each associated with a corresponding access member of said housing to transition that access member between said open and secured states, wherein each lock unit includes a locking device attached to a housing interior surface proximate a corresponding access member to manipulate an engagement member and a projection attached to and extending from an interior surface of said corresponding access member with an aperture defined therein to receive said engagement member;

a control unit to generate a signal common to each of said plurality of lock units that triggers transition of each of said plurality of access members of said housing to a common state in response to user manipulation of said locking mechanism, wherein said common state includes one of said open state and said secured state, and wherein said common signal includes a first signal to withdraw said engagement member from said aperture and transition each said lock unit to said open state in response to a first user manipulation of said locking mechanism and a second different signal to enable insertion of said engagement member within said aperture and transition each said lock unit to said secured state in response to a second user manipulation of said locking mechanism;

an indicator to indicate said common state of each of said plurality of access members of said housing;

a time delay relay to actuate said engagement members in accordance with a predetermined time delay; and

a backup power system to detect a power failure and to control said time delay relay to actuate said engagement members to transition said access members from said secured state to said open state in response to said detection of said power failure.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes a key switch and a corresponding key, and wherein said control unit generates said common signal in response to said key being received in said key switch and manipulated by a user to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes a receiver to receive transmitted signals, and wherein said control unit generates said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said receiver receiving control signals from a transmitting device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said transmitting device includes at least one of an RFID device and a remote control unit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes a reader unit to examine an item and said control unit generates said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said reader unit identifying said item enabling said transition.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said reader includes a bar code reader and said item includes a bar code enabling said transition.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein said reader includes a card reader and said item includes at least one of a card with a processing device and a magnetic card enabling said transition.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein said reader includes a scanner and said item includes a physical characteristic of an authorized user.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said physical characteristic includes at least one of a fingerprint, handprint and a retina.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism includes a code entry device to enable entry of a code by a user and said control unit generates said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said code entry device receiving an appropriate code for said transition.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said code entry device includes at least one of a keypad, a cipher lock system, a voice recognition system and a speech recognition system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said code entry device includes a touch screen display.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein each said locking device includes a solenoid and said engagement member includes a retractable pin to engage said projection of said corresponding access member and place that access member in said secured state.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism transitions said access members to said open state from said secured state for a predetermined time interval and returns said access members to said secured state in response to expiration of said predetermined time interval.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one medical item includes a medical solution.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein said indicator includes at least one of a visual indicator and an audio device to indicate said common state of said access members.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said visual indicator includes a plurality of light emitting devices each associated with a corresponding state of said access members.

18. A method for securely maintaining medical items within a thermal treatment system including a housing, a thermal treatment unit disposed within said housing and including a compartment to receive and thermally treat at least one medical item therein, wherein said housing includes a plurality of access members and each access member enables access from external of said housing to said compartment and said at least one medical item, the method comprising:

(a) selectively transitioning each of said access members of said thermal treatment system housing between open and secured states via a common locking mechanism in response to user manipulation of said locking mechanism, wherein said locking mechanism includes a plurality of lock units each associated with a corresponding access member of said housing to transition that access member between said open and secured states, wherein each lock unit includes a locking device attached to a housing interior surface proximate a corresponding access member to manipulate an engagement member and a projection attached to and extending from an interior surface of said corresponding access member with an aperture defined therein to receive said engagement member, and step (a) further includes;

(a.1) generating a signal common to each of said plurality of lock units that triggers transition of each of said plurality of access members of said housing to a common state in response to user manipulation of said locking mechanism, wherein said common state includes one of said open state and said secured state, wherein said common signal includes a first signal to withdraw said engagement member from said aperture and transition each said lock unit to said open state in response to a first user manipulation of said locking mechanism and a second different signal to enable insertion of said engagement member within said aperture and transition each said lock unit to said closed state in response to a second user manipulation of said locking mechanism, and wherein said engagement members are actuated in accordance with a predetermined time delay via a time delay relay;

(b) indicating said common state of each of said plurality of access members via an indicator; and

(c) detecting a power failure via a backup power system and controlling said time delay relay to actuate said engagement members to transition said access members from said secured state to said open state in response to said detection of said power failure.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said locking mechanism includes a key switch and a corresponding key, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) receiving said key within said key switch and generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to user manipulation of said key.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said locking mechanism includes a receiver to receive transmitted signals, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said receiver receiving control signals from a transmitting device.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said transmitting device includes at least one of an RFID device and a remote control unit.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein said locking mechanism includes a reader unit to examine an item, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said reader identifying said item enabling said transition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said reader includes a bar code reader, and step (a.1.1) further includes:

(a.1.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said bar code reader identifying a bar code enabling said transition.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said reader includes a card reader, and step (a.1.1) further includes:

(a.1.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said card reader identifying at least one of a card with a processing device and a magnetic card enabling said transition.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein said reader includes a scanner, and step (a.1.1) further includes:

(a.1.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said scanner identifying a physical characteristic of an authorized user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said physical characteristic includes at least one of a fingerprint, handprint and a retina.

27. The method of claim 18, wherein said locking mechanism includes a code entry device to enable entry of a code by a user, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) generating said common signal to selectively transition said access members between said open and secured states in response to said code entry system receiving an appropriate code for said transition.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein said code entry device includes at least one of a keypad, a cipher lock system, a voice recognition system and a speech recognition system.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein said code entry device includes a touch screen display.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein each said locking device includes a solenoid and said engagement member includes a retractable pin, and step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) engaging said projection of said corresponding access member with said pin to place that access member in said secured state.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) transitioning said access members to said open state from said secured state for a predetermined time interval and returning said access members to said secured state in response to expiration of said predetermined time interval.

32. The method of claim 18, wherein said at least one medical item includes a medical solution.

33. The method of claim 18, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) indicating said common state of said access members via at least one of a visual indicator and an audio device.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein said visual indicator includes a plurality of light emitting devices each associated with a corresponding state of said access members.