Medication storage and dispensing unit having a vial dispenser

• US 9,149,405 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2009
• Issued: 10/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnicell Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Aesynt, Inc. (Omnicell Incorporated)
• Inventors: Braun, Patrick Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): COLLINS, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/397,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,408 Days
• Field of Search: 221/298, 221 7- 8, 221/12, 221282-284, 221/286, 221/312.R, 221/124, 221/131, 221/154, 700/232, 700/242, 700/243, 700/236
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 12/001 Trolleys for transport of medicaments, food, linen, nursing supplies carts specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis A61B50/13; hand carts B62B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/007 wherein the storage and dispensing mechanism are configurable in relation to the physical or geometrical properties of the articles to be stored or dispensed
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/10 two or more magazines having a common delivery chute
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00

Abstract

A medication storage and dispensing unit is provided which includes a support platform and a vial dispenser supported by the support platform. The vial dispenser may include a chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication and a gate configured to be alternately positioned in a closed position in which the vials remain within the chute and an open position in which a vial is dispensed from the chute. The medication storage and dispensing unit may be computer controlled so as to include a computing device configured to receive user input regarding dispensation of a vial. The computing device may be further configured to actuate the gate to thereby permit the gate to move to the open position such that the vial is dispensed from the chute.

Claims

1. A medication storage and dispensing unit comprising

a support platform;

and

a vial dispenser supported by the support platform, wherein the vial dispenser comprises;

a chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication, wherein the chute comprises a pair of opposed walls, each wall having an inner surface facing the other wall of the pair and an outer surface facing away from the other wall of the pair, wherein the chute defines an outer width between outer surfaces of the pair of opposed walls and an inner width between inner surfaces of the pair of opposed walls, and wherein a position of at least one of the walls is adjustable such that the outer width of the chute remains unchanged but the inner width of the chute is correspondingly adjustable to configure the chute to maintain a configurable uniform width and to store differently sized vials;

a quantity indicator associated with the chute to indicate a quantity of vials;

a gate configured to be alternately and controllably positioned in a closed position in which vials remain within the chute and an open position in which a vial is dispensed from the chute,

wherein the vial dispenser is configured such that a vial is discharged from the chute when the gate is in the open position; and

a plurality of upwardly extending, individually accessible drawers, wherein each drawer is lockable and unlockable individually.

2. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the vial dispenser comprises a plurality of upwardly extending chutes, each chute configured to store a plurality of vials of a respective medication.

3. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the vials of a medication have a predefined diameter, and wherein the chute is sized to store the plurality of vials of medication stacked diameter upon diameter.

4. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 further comprising a selectably insertable insert disposed within the chute to define the at least one adjustable wall of the chute.

5. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the vial dispenser further comprises the quantity indicator associated with the chute and dependent upon a size of the vials so as to indicate the quantity of vials within the chute.

6. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein each drawer includes an upwardly extending chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication stacked one upon another.

7. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the support platform comprises a medication storage cabinet comprising at least one drawer for storing medications, and wherein the vial dispenser extends upwardly from the medication storage cabinet.

8. A medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a spring-loaded wall.

9. A mediation storage and dispensing unit according to claim 1 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a threadably adjustable wall.

10. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit comprising:

a support platform;

a vial dispenser supported by the support platform, wherein the vial dispenser comprises;

a chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication, wherein the chute comprises a pair of opposed walls, each wall having an inner surface facing the other wall of the pair and an outer surface facing away from the other wall of the pair, wherein the chute defines an outer width between outer surfaces of the pair of opposed walls and an inner width between inner surfaces of the pair of opposed walls, and wherein a position of at least one of the walls is adjustable such that the outer width of the chute remains unchanged but the inner width of the chute is correspondingly adjustable to configure the chute to maintain a configurable uniform width and to store differently sized vials;

a quantity indicator associated with the chute to indicate a quantity of vials;

a gate configured to be alternately positioned in a closed position in which vials remain within the chute and an open position in which a vial is dispensed from the chute;

a plurality of upwardly extending, individually accessible drawers, wherein each drawer is lockable and unlockable individually; and

a computing device configured to receive user input regarding dispensation of a vial and further configured to actuate the gate to thereby permit the gate to move to the open position such that the vial is dispensed from the chute.

11. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein the vial dispenser comprises a plurality of upwardly extending chutes, each chute configured to store a plurality of vials of a respective medication.

12. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein the vials of a medication have a predefined diameter, and wherein the chute is sized to store the plurality of vials of medication stacked diameter upon diameter.

13. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 further comprising a selectably insertable insert disposed within the chute to define the at least one adjustable wall of the chute.

14. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein the vial dispenser further comprises the quantity indicator associated with the chute and dependent upon a size of the vials so as to indicate the quantity of vials within the chute.

15. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein each drawer includes an upwardly extending chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication stacked one upon another.

16. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 15 wherein the support platform comprises a medication storage cabinet comprising at least one drawer for storing medications, wherein the vial dispenser extends upwardly from the medication storage cabinet.

17. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a spring-loaded wall.

18. A computer controlled medication storage and dispensing unit according to claim 10 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a threadably adjustable wall.

19. A vial dispenser comprising:

a housing; and

a plurality of upwardly extending, individually accessible drawers disposed within the housing, wherein each drawer is configured to be locked and unlocked individually and for movement inward and outward in a first direction relative to the housing, and wherein each drawer comprises;

a chute configured to store a plurality of vials of medication stacked one upon another, wherein the chute extends upwardly in a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the chute comprises a pair of opposed walls, each wall having an inner surface facing the other wall of the pair and an outer surface facing away from the other wall of the pair, wherein the chute defines an outer width between outer surfaces of the pair of opposed walls and an inner width between inner surfaces of the pair of opposed walls, and wherein a position of at least one of the walls is adjustable such that the outer width of the chute remains unchanged but the inner width of the chute is correspondingly adjustable to configure the chute to maintain a configurable uniform width and to store differently sized vials;

a quantity indicator associated with the chute to indicate a quantity of vials; and

a gate configured to be alternately and controllably positioned in a closed position in which vials remain within the chute and an open position in which a vial is dispensed from the chute.

20. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 wherein at least one drawer comprises a plurality of upwardly extending chutes, each chute configured to store a plurality of vials of a respective medication.

21. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 wherein the vials of a medication have a predefined diameter, and wherein the upwardly extending chute is sized to store the plurality of vials of medication stacked diameter upon diameter.

22. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 further comprising a selectably insertable insert disposed within the chute to define the at least one adjustable wall of the chute.

23. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 wherein at least one drawer further comprises the quantity indicator associated with the chute and dependent upon a size of the vials so as to indicate the quantity of vials within the chute.

24. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a spring-loaded wall.

25. A vial dispenser according to claim 19 wherein the at least one wall of the chute comprises a threadably adjustable wall.