Cabinet system

• US 9,245,405 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArXium, Inc. (Van Humbeck Family)
• Original Assignee: AutoMed Technologies Incorporated (Cencora, Inc.)
• Inventors: Michael, James A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGONER, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US14/054,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20140046482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 221/122, 221/133, 700/236, 700/242, 700/243
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2067/025 having safety means
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 67/02 Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 81/00 Cabinets or racks specially adapted for other particular purposes, e.g. for storing guns or skis
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/40 Sliding drawers; Slides or guides therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/457 operated by electrically-powered actuation means
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 1/06 dispensing from top for spring-urged trays or plates B65G1/07
• CPC Class Codes: A61J 7/0084 for multiple medicaments
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 2047/0094 Mechanical aspects of remotely controlled locks electronic locks G07C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 47/00 Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means electric permutation locks E05B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 65/462 for two or more drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/18 Recessed drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 11/60 the storage containers or supports being rectilinearly movable
• 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: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/30 using a wired architecture
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

A cabinet system for securely storing items includes a cabinet housing, a controller, and at least one drawer unit. The cabinet housing has a locking mechanism, and the controller is in communication with the cabinet housing and configured to operate the locking mechanism. The drawer unit is designed to be releasably locked at least partially within the cabinet housing by the locking mechanism, and slidable within a portion of the cabinet housing when released by the locking mechanism. The drawer unit includes at least one storage compartment, a cover, memory, and a power source. The storage compartment is configured to store at least one item therein. The cover is movable to an open configuration and a closed configuration. When the cover is in the closed configuration, the cover limits access to the item of the storage compartment. The memory is powered by the power source and is configured to store data associated with a movement of the cover.

Claims

1. A medical item storage cabinet system, comprising:

a cabinet including a drawer bay and a locking mechanism;

a drawer located within the drawer bay of the cabinet, the drawer slidable relative to the drawer bay between an open position in which the drawer extends out of the drawer bay and a closed position in which the drawer is located within the drawer bay, the locking mechanism configured to engage the drawer in the closed position, the drawer including;

a first compartment;

a second compartment;

a cover movable by an electric motor to a first position to permit access to the first compartment and limit access to the second compartment and moveable to a second position to permit access to the second compartment and limit access to the first compartment;

an electronic memory coupled to the drawer configured to store information representative of movement of the cover that occurs when the drawer is in the open position;

a power source coupled to the drawer configured to supply power to the electronic memory;

wherein the electronic memory and the power source are physically supported by the drawer such that the electronic memory and the power source move with the drawer relative to the drawer bay.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a controller located within the cabinet and a connector coupled to the electronic memory and physically supported by the drawer, wherein the connector is electrically coupled to the controller when the drawer is in the closed position and decoupled from the controller when the drawer is in the open position, and further wherein the controller is configured to receive the information representative of movement of the cover that occurs when the drawer is in the open position from the electronic memory when the connector is coupled to the controller.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is one of a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the cover is a continuous belt including a first opening sized to permit access to the first compartment and a second opening sized to permit access to the second compartment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the information representative of movement of the cover stored by the electronic memory includes time, date and cover movement duration information.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a sensor configured to detect the movement of the cover, the sensor coupled to the electronic memory and configured to provide the information representative of movement of the cover to the electronic memory.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display device coupled to a face of the drawer, the display device configured to display a visual indication that movement of the cover occurred while the drawer was in the open position.

8. A cabinet system for securely storing items, comprising:

a cabinet housing having a locking mechanism;

a controller associated with the cabinet housing and configured to operate the locking mechanism; and

a drawer unit configured to be releasably locked at least partially within the cabinet housing by the locking mechanism, and slidable within a portion of the cabinet housing when released by the locking mechanism, the drawer unit comprising;

at least one storage compartment configured to store at least one item;

a cover movable to an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the cover limits access to the at least one item of the storage compartment when the cover is in the closed configuration;

a sensor configured to detect the movement of the cover;

an electronic memory physically supported by the drawer unit such that the electronic memory moves with the drawer unit relative to the cabinet housing, the electronic memory coupled to the sensor and configured to store data associated with a movement of the cover detected by the sensor;

a connector coupled to the electronic memory and physically supported by the drawer unit, wherein the connector electrically couples to the controller when the drawer unit is received within the cabinet housing, wherein the connector decouples from the controller when the drawer unit extends out of the cabinet housing, and further wherein the controller is configured to receive the data from the electronic memory when the connector is coupled to the controller.

9. The cabinet system of claim 8, further comprising a power source physically supported by the drawer unit such that the power source moves with the drawer unit relative to the cabinet housing, the power source coupled to and supplying power to the electronic memory.

10. The cabinet system of claim 9, wherein the power source is one of a rechargeable battery or a capacitor.

11. The cabinet system of claim 8, wherein the controller is located within the cabinet housing.

12. The cabinet system of claim 8, wherein the electronic memory stores time and date information associated the cover movement data.

13. The cabinet system of claim 8, further comprising an LED coupled to a front face of the drawer unit, the LED configured to display a visual indication that movement of the cover was detected by the sensor.

14. The cabinet system of claim 8, wherein the drawer unit further comprises an electric motor coupled to the controller and configured to move the cover relative to the at least one storage compartment when directed to do so by the controller.

15. The cabinet system of claim 14, wherein the electronic memory is configured to store data associated with the movement of the cover when the movement occurs without being driven by the electric motor.

16. The cabinet system of claim 14, wherein the electronic memory is configured to store data associated with the movement of the cover only when the movement occurs without being driven by the electric motor.

17. The cabinet system of claim 14, wherein the electric motor is the sensor and is configured to generate a signal when driven by a manual movement of the cover, and wherein the electronic memory is configured to receive the signal and to store data representative of the signal.

18. A cabinet system for securely storing medical items, comprising:

a cabinet housing;

a drawer moveable relative to the cabinet housing between an open position in which the drawer extends out of the cabinet housing and a closed position in which the drawer is located within the cabinet housing, the drawer comprising;

a plurality of storage compartments;

a cover moveable relative to the plurality of storage compartments to provide access to each of the plurality of storage compartments;

a sensor configured to detect manually forced movement of the cover;

an electronic memory physically supported by the drawer such that the electronic memory moves with the drawer relative to the cabinet housing, the electronic memory coupled to the sensor and configured to store data associated with a manually forced movement of the cover detected by the sensor; and

an indicator display coupled to a front face of the drawer, the indicator display configured to display a visual indication that manual forced movement of the cover was detected by the sensor;

a locking mechanism configured to lock the drawer when the drawer is in the closed position; and

a controller associated with the cabinet housing and configured to operate the locking mechanism.

19. The cabinet system of claim 18, further comprising a controller and an electric motor configured to slide the cover relative to the storage compartments when directed to do so by the controller.

20. The cabinet system of claim 19, wherein the electronic memory stores time and date information associated the with the data of a manually forced movement of the cover detected by the sensor.