Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-01-31
2002-12-03
Ellis, Christopher P. (Department: 3651)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S242000, C700S243000, C221S119000, C221S120000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06490502
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
An article or product dispensing system to selectively dispense a predetermined regimen of articles to a tray or other suitable container.
2. Description of Prior Art
Hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, and the like typically must dispense multiple medications to multiple patients on ever-changing schedules. Insuring that the right patient receives the right amount of the right medication at the right time presents significant logistical problems to the personnel responsible for prescribing, dispensing, and administering the medications. Even when everything in the system works properly, the logistics and paperwork required to dispense all medications to a group of patients correctly can be very time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive.
Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for medications to be administered to the wrong patient, or to the right patient in the wrong amount or at the wrong time. Such mistakes can arise in many ways. A patient may be misidentified, or moved to a different bed. Busy nurses may neglect to cross-check patient identification numbers in all cases. The cups containing different patients' medications may inadvertently be switched. The potentially harmful consequences of incorrectly dispensing medications to patients requires no elaboration.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,277,330 relates to a rotary magazine distributor apparatus comprising a plurality of vertical channels containing piles of respective different articles arranged in order to dispense articles selected by a buyer. The rotary magazine is provided with a power driving system. A powered distribution mechanism occupies a stationary location under the magazine and comprises an ejection finger intended to push horizontally the lower article of the pile. A side casing contains an electronic unit which controls all the distribution functions on the basis of information received from a selection keyboard and from stationary detectors indicating the position of the magazine, the identity of the channels and the presence of articles in the channels.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,871,156 describes a medicament dispensing system having a plurality of medicament pellet containing bowls mounted on a rotatable member in a helical array. A control system rotates the array to bring a selected bowl to a packaging station. At the packaging station, a varying magnetic field vibrates the selected bowl effecting movement of the selected number of pellets, one at a time, through a bowl outlet and into a packaging cup. Patient and medicament data is printed on a label that also serves as a package cover for the cup. The package of pellets is then dispensed from the system for use. An electronic control system for automatically dispensing the desired kind and number of pellets and for printing the desired patient information on the label is also provided.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,062 shows a vacuum operated system for individually dispensing items of oral solid medicine from bulk storage to a user where the medicine is dispensed under computer control and the quantity and type of medicine is selected in advance by the user. The invention includes medicine dispensing equipment and a computer that provides a user interface. A plurality of storage containers arranged in a rotatable carousel or a rectilinear array may contain various pharmaceutical articles, or various types, dosages, ages, and lot numbers of medicines. The storage containers may be easily refilled by inserting modular refill cartridges into the storage containers. After a user enters certain data into the computer, the invention aligns a universal vacuum probe with the storage container that contains the desired items. The universal vacuum probe is lowered to the desired storage container and engaged with a container probe that is exclusive to that storage container. After a vacuum source creates suction within the universal vacuum probe and the container probe, the universal vacuum probe and the container probe are operated to individually extract items from the storage container. In one embodiment, a user dispenses the extracted items into a cup for retrieval. In another embodiment, one or more items are packaged separately in an envelope, which is stored in a portable envelope-organizing tote along with other envelopes containing items requested by that user.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,562,232 discloses a semi-automated medication dispenser for dispensing multiple medications to multiple patients in the correct dosages at the correct times. Patient information and physician orders are entered into the computer's memory. A pharmacist loads medications needed by all the patients in a ward into individual compartments. After the medications are loaded into the dispenser, the computer controls access to the individual compartments. When a proper password is entered-such as the dispensing nurse-followed by identifying information for a particular patient, the computer allows access to only those compartments containing medications that are appropriate for the individual patient at that time. In many cases, the computer controls the dosage of the medication being dispensed as well, by controlling the number of pills dispensed. Thus, each patient receives all appropriate medications, and only the appropriate medications. The computer also simultaneously makes a record of the medications administered to each patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,485 comprises an automated drug dispensing system including a cabinet to store a variety of prepackaged pharmaceuticals in a plurality of bins for filling prescriptions. Each bin stores a particular variety of packaged multiple-dose pharmaceutical. Each variety of pharmaceutical is associated with a particular code. A controller receives request signals and in response generates dispense signals. Each bin includes a dispenser coupled to the controller for dispensing the package pharmaceuticals therefrom in response to a dispense signal sent from a controller. After a package is dispensed, a code reader determines the code of the dispensed package and verifies whether the code on the dispensed package matches the code of the requested package.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,344 shows a medication dispensing and timing system includes a central monitoring computer which generates and sends an address-specific medication prompting message in accordance with a prescribed medication dispensing schedule over a two-way paging system to a communicator carried by a patient. The communicator includes receiver circuitry which responds to the prompt message to generate a display and audible alarm to alert a patient. Upon the patient acknowledging the message by actuating a switch on the communicator transmitter circuitry within a predetermined time period following the dispensing event, the computer initiates an alternative communication procedure which includes telephone calls to the patient, his doctor, his care provider, or an emergency contact. The communicator may be equipped to electrically communicate with medication dispensing apparatus whereby the apparatus dispenses medication in response to a received prompting message. The dispensing apparatus may include a modem for communicating with the central monitoring computer to confirm actual dispensing, and to provide a control path whereby the dispensing apparatus can be controlled from the monitoring computer in the event of a radio link failure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,594 comprises of a medication dispensing system-comprising medication dispensing unit and a central monitoring facility. The medication dispensing unit holds medication in a plurality of canisters selected according to an entered and stored prescription regimen and then notifies the patient by an audible or other sensory signal. If the patient presses a button within as prescribed time, the unit dispenses the selected canisters. If the patient does not press the button within the prescribed time, or if the unit detects a failure to dispense the selected canister, the unit makes the canister inaccessible
Fellows Eugene E.
Hardy Lawrence C.
Crawford Gene O.
Fisher III Arthur W.
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