ENHANCED MODULAR DRAWER STRUCTURES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

• US 20120262039A1
• Filed: 04/14/2011
• Published: 10/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GCX Corporation
• Original Assignee: GCX Corporation
• Inventors: Poppe, Carl Hermann, DAUGBJERG, Cristian J., Glaser, Robert Peter
• Granted Patent: US 9,367,984 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/249.11
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2031/006 Medication carts
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2200/0023 Columnar component for computer, stand or trolley
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2210/0018 Buffers, stop blocks or latches for single drawer slides
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 23/046 C-shaped bed tables, e.g. foldable
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/57 preventing complete withdrawal of the drawer
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/90 Constructional details of drawers
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/969 Drawers having means for organising or sorting the content
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 88/994 in the form of trays or inserts
• 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: A61G 2205/10 Bar codes
• 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 65/46 for drawers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/33 by means of a password
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/0092 for assembling and dispensing of pharmaceutical articles medical dispensers for private use, A61J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/0027 Details of drawer or money-box
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 3/003 Anti-theft control theft alarms G08B13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/13 delivered from dispensers

Abstract

A modular drawer structure comprises a housing having an interior volume defined therein, and a drawer comprising one or more compartments, wherein the drawer is slidably movable with respect to the interior volume of the housing between a first closed position, wherein the compartments are enclosed within the interior volume, and a second open position, wherein the compartments are at least partially accessible. The drawer structure further comprises a mechanism for controllably locking the drawer in the first closed position, an access pad, e.g. such as but not limited to a keypad and/or a card swipe pad, for entry of a passcode, and a processor for unlocking the drawer when an entered passcode matches a stored passcode value. Some embodiments of the drawer structure include a stored time threshold, wherein if the drawer is unlocked for a time that meets or exceeds the stored time threshold, the drawer is relocked.

Claims

1. A structure, comprising:

a base column, wherein the base column extends upward from a first end to a second end, the base column having an attachment channel defined therein that extends from the first end to the second end;

a drawer housing having a front end and a back end opposite the front end, wherein the back end of the drawer housing is fixedly attached to the base column through the attachment channel, and wherein a drawer opening extends inward from the front end to define an interior volume;

a drawer comprising a front side, wherein one or more compartments are defined within the drawer, wherein the drawer is slidably movable with respect to the interior volume of the drawer housing between

a first closed position, wherein the compartments are enclosed within the interior volume and wherein the front side of the drawer is accessible from the front end of the drawer housing, and

a second open position, wherein the compartments are at least partially accessible when the front side of the drawer is pulled open by a user;

a drawer catch for releasing the drawer from the drawer housing when the drawer is in the second open position, wherein the drawer is removable from the drawer housing;

a lock for controllably locking the drawer in the first closed position;

an access pad mounted to the drawer housing for entry of a passcode; and

a processor for unlocking the lock when an entered passcode matches a stored passcode value.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the access pad comprises any of a keypad and a card reader.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the drawer housing comprises a substantially planar upper surface.

4. The structure of claim 3, wherein a periphery extends around the upper surface of the drawer housing, wherein a ridge extends upward from the upper surface around the periphery, wherein the ridge is configured to retain any of medications, supplies, writing implements, spills, or small objects.

5. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory;

wherein one or more of the stored passcodes are stored in the memory.

6. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a data port connected to the processor.

7. The structure of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to receive information through the data port, wherein the received information comprises any of passcodes to be stored in the memory, or a time threshold to be stored in the memory.

8. The structure of claim 6, wherein the processor is configured to send information through the data port to an external computer.

9. The structure of claim 8, wherein the information to be sent through the data port comprises any of entered passcodes, drawer positions, timestamps, patient information, or medication information.

10. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a time threshold associated with the lock;

wherein when the drawer is in an unlocked position, the lock is configured to lock if the time threshold is reached.

11. The structure of claim 1, further comprising:

a cover associated with at least one of the compartments, wherein the cover is configured to be openable to provide access to the corresponding compartment when the drawer is in the second open position.

12. The structure of claim 11, wherein the cover further comprises mechanism for receiving a label.

13. The structure of claim 11, wherein the cover is any of translucent or clear, wherein a user can determine if there are contents within the compartment.

14. The structure of claim 1, wherein the base column is fixedly mounted to any of a mobile cart structure or a wall.

15. A process, comprising the steps of:

providing a structure comprising

a base column, wherein the base column extends upward from a first end to a second end, the base column having an attachment channel defined therein that extends from the first end to the second end;

a drawer housing having a front end and a back end opposite the front end, wherein the back end of the drawer housing is fixedly attached to the base column through the attachment channel, and wherein a drawer opening extends inward from the front end to define an interior volume,

a drawer comprising a front side, wherein one or more compartments defined within the drawer, wherein the drawer is slidably movable with respect to the interior volume of the drawer housing between

a first closed position, wherein the compartments are enclosed within the interior volume and wherein the front side of the drawer is accessible from the front end of the drawer housing, and

a second open position, wherein the compartments are at least partially accessible when the front side of the drawer is pulled open by a user,

a drawer catch for releasing the drawer from the drawer housing when the drawer is in the second open position, wherein the drawer is removable from the drawer housing,

a lock for controllably locking the drawer in the first closed position,

an access pad mounted to the drawer housing for entry of a passcode, and

a processor for unlocking the lock when an entered passcode matches a stored passcode value;

fixably mounting the base column to any of a base or a wall;

receiving a passcode entered by a user through the access pad;

determining if the passcode matches one of the stored passcode values; and

unlocking the lock only if the passcode matches one of the stored passcode values.

16. The process of claim 15, wherein the access pad comprises any of a keypad and a card reader.

17. The process of claim 15, wherein the structure further comprises a time threshold that is stored in the memory, and wherein the process further comprises the steps of:

starting a timer when the step of unlocking the lock occurs; and

relocking the lock if the timer reaches the time threshold.

18. The process of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a data port connected to the processor, and wherein the process further comprises the steps of:

receiving one or more acceptable passcodes through the data port; and

storing the received acceptable passcodes in the memory.

19. The process of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a data port connected to the processor, and wherein the process further comprises the steps of:

connecting the data port to a computer; and

downloading information from the processor to the computer through the data port.

20. The process of claim 19, wherein the downloaded information comprises any of time stamps that correspond to any of opening or closing of the drawer;

entered passcodes, or relocking of a drawer based meeting or exceeding a time threshold.

21. The process of claim 15, wherein the stored acceptable passcodes comprise a plurality of acceptable passcodes;

and

wherein each of the acceptable passcodes is unique to one of a plurality of users.

22. A mobile cart system, comprising:

a cart base;

at least three casters mounted to the cart base;

a base column fixedly mounted and extending upward from the cart base from a first end to a second end, the base column having an attachment channel defined therein that extends from the first end to the second end; and

at least one drawer structure fixedly mounted to the base column through the attachment channel, wherein each of the drawer structures comprise

a drawer housing having a front end and a back end opposite the front end, wherein the back end of the drawer housing is fixedly attached to the base column through the attachment channel, and wherein a drawer opening extends inward from the front end to define an interior volume,

a drawer comprising a front side, wherein one or more compartments are defined within the drawer, wherein the drawer is slidably movable with respect to the interior volume of the drawer housing between

a first closed position, wherein the compartments are enclosed within the interior volume and wherein the front side of the drawer is accessible from the front end of the drawer housing, and

a second open position, wherein the compartments are at least partially accessible when the front side of the drawer is pulled open by a user,

a drawer catch for releasing the drawer from the drawer housing when the drawer is in the second open position, wherein the drawer is removable from the drawer housing,

a lock for controllably locking the drawer in the first closed position,

an access pad mounted to the drawer housing for entry of a passcode, and

a processor for unlocking the lock when an entered passcode matches a stored passcode value.