Lionville Systems, Inc.

Touchpoint Medical, Inc.

Intermetro Industries Corporation

Pyxis Corporation

Tobin H Williams

John F Gardner

Eric C Norlin

Shelly I Slogoff

Jane F Laycock

E Ford Williams

Jeffrey C Olson

James Leo Kilgallon

Scott Curtis Miller

Karl Haiden

Adam Troup

Scott Harshbarger

Paul Prickett

Patrick Sweeney

A medication storage and dispensing workstation for use in a medication management system administering the inventory and distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies in a healthcare environment is disclosed. The workstation incorporates a linear drawer assembly having a plurality of discrete, removable, storage modules for containing medications and/or other medical supplies. The storage modules are arranged in a linear array extending longitudinally along the travel path of the linear drawer assembly. Each storage module, in turn, comprises a drawer that is extensible laterally relative to the linear arrangement of the storage modules. As such, the drawer assemblies comprise a compartmentalized 'drawer-in-drawer' arrangement that provides an efficient use of storage space and enables a user to utilize the workstation in a workspace having a smaller footprint that traditional storage cabinet apparatus.

Medication storage and dispensing apparatus having linear drawer assembly including discrete storage modules

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

Growing community of inventors

Bryn Mawr, PA, United States of America

Tobin H Williams