Lionville Systems, Inc.

Other

Pyxis Corporation

Eric C Norlin

Tobin H Williams

John F Gardner

Shelly I Slogoff

E Ford Williams

Jane F Laycock

John B Wick, Jr

A mechanical system closes and latches one or more drawers in a multiple-drawer cabinet. Drawers which are slightly ajar are grasped by the latching mechanism, pulled fully closed, and locked shut. A latch finger engages a catch connected to the drawer and pulls the drawer closed. The finger is actuated by a crankshaft which, as it rotates, first lowers the latch finger to capture the catch, and then retracts the latch finger and with it the captured drawer. The crankshaft rotates to a position where any pull forces on the finger are nearly in line with the axis of the crankshaft and have little tendency to cause reverse rotation. The crankshaft is then retained in this position, effectively locking the drawer closed. Thus, any drawer which is left slightly ajar, and which may falsely appear to be latched, is subsequently closed and securely locked. The latching mechanism may be motorized or manually operated. If motorized, a controller may actuate the mechanism to close and lock the drawers after some predetermined delay. Unlocking may be enabled by key or by security code entry. The locking capability of this system makes it particularly useful in controlling access to medications in a hospital environment or wherever expensive or potentially dangerous materials are stored.

Drawer closing and latching system

A mechanical system opens a selected drawer in a multiple-drawer cabinet. The drawers are arranged in rows and columns. A selected drawer is unlatched by moving a rod which has protruding fingers, only one of which is positioned to engage a latch in a column of drawers. When the rod moves longitudinally, the selected drawer becomes unlatched. The unlatched drawer can open only to a distance determined by a cable which unwinds from a drum and passes around a pulley attached to the drawer. Thus, by controlling the rotation of the drum, the system can be programmed to open the drawer only to a distance which exposes the first non-empty compartment in the drawer. A computer controls the selection and opening of the drawers. The computer keeps a record of which compartments of each drawer have been emptied. Each time a drawer is opened, it is opened to the next non-empty compartment, allowing access to one and only one compartment in the drawer. The invention is therefore especially useful in dispensing medications and other similar articles in a hospital environment.

Drawer operating system

Method for automatic dispensing of articles stored in a cabinet

Medication cart

A restricted pharmaceutical storage and dispensing cabinet which has a main supporting shell and a stock supporting rack internally of the shell, having vertically and horizontally aligned rows of stock supporting cubicles. The rack is secured by an inner closure which includes an operating panel affording limited access to items of stock. A mechanical locking arrangement is provided for locking and unlocking the inner closure. The operating panel is accessible through an outer locked shell with an unlocking arrangement which include an electrical key reader and readable operator assigned keys. A recording system is provided [with provision] for automatic accountability of items dispensed, date and time of removal and identification of recipient.

Pharmaceutical dispensing cabinet

Growing community of inventors

Coatesville, PA, United States of America

Eric C Norlin