Sensor driven secure dispensing unit

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11615875-B2
Application number	US-202016834950-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2020
Priority date	Mar 30, 2020
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

A secure dispensing unit includes a housing comprising a first end and a second end and a number of storage assemblies. The number of storage assemblies are arranged in parallel with one another within the housing. Each storage assembly includes a number of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing with each of the compartments being configured to store an item. A cover is coupled with the housing and extends between the first end and the second end such that the cover is positioned over the compartments. An actuator is coupled with the cover, the actuator being configured to retract the cover to draw a distal end of the cover from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of compartments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A dispensing unit, comprising:
a housing comprising a first end and a second end; and
a plurality of storage assemblies, wherein the plurality of storage assemblies are arranged in parallel with one another within the housing, each storage assembly comprising:
a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing, each of the compartments being configured to store an item;
a cover coupled with the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the cover is positioned over the plurality of compartments; and
an actuator coupled with the cover, the actuator being configured to retract the cover to draw a distal end of the cover from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments; and
an optical sensor coupled with a leading edge of the cover, the optical sensor being configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the cover is moved along a length of the housing.

2. The dispensing unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the actuator comprises motor coupled with a rotatable element that engages with edges of the cover to move the cover along a track formed in the housing.

3. The dispensing unit of claim 2 , wherein:
the track extends on both a top side and a bottom side of the housing such that when retracted, at least a portion of the cover is positioned underneath the housing.

4. The dispensing unit of claim 2 , wherein:
the motor comprises an encoder that determines how far the cover is retracted to expose the selected number of the plurality of compartments.

5. The dispensing unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the actuators of each of the plurality of storage assemblies are operable independently of one another.

6. The dispensing unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the optical sensor further operates as an encoder for the actuator that detects partitions of the plurality of compartments to determine how far the cover is retracted.

7. The dispensing unit of claim 1 , wherein:
at least some of the plurality of compartments are releasably coupled within the housing.

8. A dispensing unit, comprising:
a housing comprising a first end and a second end;
a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the housing, each of the compartments being configured to store an item;
a cover coupled with the housing and extending between the first end and the second end such that the cover is positioned over the plurality of compartments;
an actuator coupled with the cover, the actuator being configured to retract the cover to draw a leading edge of the cover from the first end toward the second end to expose a selected number of the plurality of compartments; and
an optical sensor coupled with a leading edge of the cover, the optical sensor being configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the cover is moved along a length of the housing.

9. The dispensing unit of claim 8 , wherein:
the dispensing unit is integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of a medication storage system.

10. The dispensing unit of claim 9 , wherein:
the actuator is configured to operate only when the drawer is in a closed state.

11. The dispensing unit of claim 8 , wherein:
edges of the cover define channels that are configured to engage with teeth of the actuator, thereby enabling the actuator to move the cover relative to the housing.

12. The dispensing unit of claim 8 , wherein:
a base of each of the plurality of compartments comprises a machine-readable identifier;
the optical sensor is configured to read the machine-readable identifiers; and
the optical sensor is configured to determine that one of the plurality of compartments is empty when the optical sensor is able to read the machine-readable identifier associated with the one of the plurality of compartments.

13. The dispensing unit of claim 8 , wherein:
a base of each of the plurality of compartments comprises a light element;
the optical sensor is configured to detect light emitted from the light elements; and
the optical sensor is configured to determine that one of the plurality of compartments is empty when the optical sensor is able to detect the light emitted from the light element associated with the one of the plurality of compartments.

14. A method of operating a dispensing mechanism, comprising:
receiving an input to dispense a selected number of items from a dispensing mechanism;
actuating a cover of the dispensing mechanism to retract a leading edge of the cover to expose a selected number of a plurality of compartments of the dispensing mechanism based on the selected number of items, wherein the plurality of compartments are arranged linearly along an axis of the dispensing mechanism, each of the compartments being configured to store an item; and
determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty using an optical sensor positioned on the leading edge of the cover as the cover is moved along a length of the dispensing mechanism.

15. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 14 , further comprising:
adjusting the selected number of the plurality of compartments to expose based on the determination that the at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty.

16. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 15 , wherein:
determining that at least one of the plurality of compartments is empty comprises using the optical sensor to detect an optical signal from one or more emitter devices positioned within the at least one of the plurality of compartments.

17. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 14 , further comprising:
receiving an additional input to refill the plurality of compartments; and
actuating the cover of the dispensing mechanism to retract the leading edge of the cover to expose each of the plurality of compartments in response to the additional input.

18. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 14 , wherein:
actuating the cover comprises rotating a sprocket gear drive that is interfaced with an edge of the cover to pull at least a portion of the cover about a portion of the sprocket gear drive.

19. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 14 , wherein:
the dispensing mechanism is integrated into an electronically lockable drawer of a medication storage system; and
the method further comprises unlocking the lockable drawer after the cover of the dispensing mechanism has been retracted.

20. The method of operating a dispensing mechanism of claim 14 , further comprising:
scanning each of the plurality of compartments while the dispensing mechanism is closed and idle to determine the contents of the dispensing mechanism.

21. A cabinet, comprising:
a housing defining a storage region;
at least one drawer, wherein each of the at least one drawer comprises:
a first side and a second side;
a plurality of compartments arranged linearly along an axis of the at least one drawer, each of the compartments being configured to store an item;
a cover coupled with the housing and extending between the first side and the second side such that the cover is positioned over the plurality of compartments, the cover comprising an optical sensor coupled with a leading edge of the cover, the optical sensor being configured to determine whether one or more of the plurality of compartments are empty as the cover is mo

Assignees

• Omnicell Inc

Inventors

• Moreno Gerardo
• Foot John
• Wilson Edith
• Mehta Vikram
• Fisher Herbert Lawson

Classifications

• A47B97/00

  Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• E05B47/00

  Operating or controlling locks or other fastening devices by electric or magnetic means (electric permutation locks E05B49/00) · CPC title

• E05B65/46

  for drawers · CPC title

• A47B67/02 Primary

  Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like · CPC title

• G16H40/20

  for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms · CPC title