Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Article handling
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-03
2003-10-28
Walsh, Donald P. (Department: 3653)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Article handling
C700S236000, C700S240000, C700S241000, C700S242000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06640159
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of item dispensing, and particularly to the dispensing of items within a medical facility. In one specific aspect, the invention provides a dispensing unit having a lighting system which guides a caregiver to a specific storage bin which holds a selected item.
Traditionally, many large medical facilities maintained essentially all of their medical supplies in a central inventory location. Such an arrangement in many cases proved to be inconvenient because of the large distance between the central inventory location and the patients who used the supplies. To facilitate the delivery of supplies to the patients, some medical facilities have begun to rely on the use of local dispensing stations. Such dispensing stations are placed in the medical facility nearer to the patients and are designed to hold various supplies and pharmaceuticals typically needed by the patients. Such dispensing stations typically have the ability to maintain records on the number and type of items that are both dispensed and restocked. Further, such dispensing stations may be configured to provide different levels of security to the items held therein. For instance, the items may be freely available to any caregiver. Higher levels of security may be provided by including various locks or restrictive devices to prevent access to either the number or type of items to be dispensed.
One particular type of dispensing device which is becoming accepted within the medical industry comprises a cabinet having a plurality of retractable drawers which hold the items. The individual drawers are often divided into bins so that more than one type of item may be held within each drawer. Security may be provided by providing locks on the drawers to allow access to only certain caregivers, certain items and/or certain times of day.
When using such drawers in a secured environment, a number of issues need to be addressed. For example, it would be desirable to provide convenient access to each of the bins, including the ability to quickly locate a bin having a selected item. It would further be desirable to efficiently utilize the space of each drawer so that a maximum number of items could be held within the cabinet. Further, it would be desirable to allow the bins to be arranged in different sizes so that each drawer could be customized depending upon the types of items that are to be stored.
The ability to address some or all of these issues while still providing adequate security is especially challenging. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,875 describes a dispensing station having a plurality of retractable drawers. To provide security to the items and to assist a caregiver in the location of a selected item, a carousel system is included in the drawers. However, such a system is a gross under-utilization of drawer space and is therefore undesirable.
Another issue that needs to be addressed with such dispensing stations is the need to restock dispensed items. Previously proposed methods include individually restocking each bin with a supply cart that is transported throughout the medical facility. However, restocking in this manner is time consuming, thus preventing access to the supplies for long time periods during restocking, and may also lead to inventory restocking errors.
A further consideration in the development of a dispensing station which is divided into a matrix of bins is that of ensuring a user will properly select the correct bin. Recent studies indicate a high incidence of removal errors from such dispensing stations. Healthcare providers are therefore anxious to reduce removal errors which stem from users selecting incorrect items from a tray containing many bins.
It would therefore be desirable to provide systems, methods and apparatus to overcome or greatly reduce these and other problems. It would be particularly desirable if a dispensing system were provided which would provide some level of security to the items while still providing convenient access to the items, including the ability to easily locate a selected item so that removal errors may be reduced. Such a dispensing system should also efficiently utilize the storage space so that large inventories of items or large numbers of items may be held therein. It would be further desirable if such a dispensing system could be tailored to allow for different sized items to be stored therein. Further, it would be desirable if such a system were easy to restock so that time and errors could be reduced when replenishing the dispensed items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an exemplary dispensing system for dispensing various types of items. Although useful in a wide variety of applications, the dispensing system will find its greatest use in dispensing medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and the like in medical facilities. In one exemplary embodiment, the dispensing system comprises a cabinet having at least one storage location. A plurality of adjustable dividers are provided to divide the storage location into a plurality of bins. In this way, the number and size of bins may be tailored to accommodate various types of items. A processor is further provided and includes a memory for storing a list of items which are held within the bins as well as an entry device for entering requests for item removal. A plurality of light indicators are operably attached to at least some of the dividers. The light indicators are arranged such that at least one light indicator will uniquely identify one of the bins when lighted. For example, the light indicator may be in the shape of an arrow or other pointer which points to the correct bin. With this arrangement, a caregiver may enter an item removal request into the processor, and the bin having the requested item will be lighted to unambiguously guide the caregiver to the correct bin.
In an alternative aspect, at least two light indicators, which are preferably opposite of each other, may be employed to unambiguously and uniquely identify one of the bins when lighted.
In one exemplary aspect, the cabinet is provided with a plurality of drawers which function as storage locations. A plurality of light sources are provided within each drawer, and a liner is removably held within each drawer above the light sources. With this configuration, the adjustable dividers may be employed to divide the liner into a plurality of bins. When the liner is placed into the drawer, each light indicator is aligned with one of the light sources. In this manner, regardless of the configuration of the dividers, each light indicator will always be aligned with a light source so that any one of the bins may be lighted when selecting an item.
The dividers will preferably be configured so that the bins will be orthogonal in geometry when connected to the liner. Further, the light sources will preferably be arranged in a two dimensional array so that a light indicator will always be aligned with one of the light sources, regardless of the arrangement of the dividers.
In another exemplary aspect, the light indicators comprise light pipes which are placed into direct contact with the light sources when the liner is placed into the drawer. Each light pipe will rest upon a corresponding light source by force of gravity or other mechanical device, thereby insuring an adequate contact between each light indicator and light source.
In another exemplary aspect, the light pipes comprise elongated columns of a light transmitting material, and the light sources comprise LEDs. When the light pipes are placed into contact with the actuated LEDs, collimated light is transmitted through the light pipes.
In yet another aspect, the liner includes an identification device having information regarding the arrangement of the dividers and the items stored in each bin. The cabinet further includes a reader for reading the information from the identification device upon placement of the liner into the drawer or in proximity to a scanning device. The reader then transfers
Arnold Richard C.
Higham John D.
Holmes William K.
Omnicell Technologies, Inc.
Walsh Donald P.
LandOfFree
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