Patent Application
20170354562
The disclosure relates to carts and more particularly pertains to a new cart for dispensing medications.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a cabinet that has a front, a back, a left side, a right side, a top and a bottom defining an internal space. A pair of left walls and a pair of right walls are positioned in the internal space. Drawers are positioned between and slidably coupled to each of the pairs of walls. Rollers are coupled to the bottom and a cooler is positioned in the top. A light, operationally coupled to a power module, is extendable from the interior space through a complimentary aperture in the top. Electronic locks, controlled by a keypad, are coupled to the drawers. A manual lock also is coupled to each of the drawers. A pill manipulator that is capable of cutting and crushing pills is positioned on the top.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A shelf 32 is slidably extendable from the interior space 26 through a complimentary slot 34 in the front 14. The slot 34 is positioned in the arcuate cavity 28 proximate to the top 22. A pair of left walls 36 and a pair of right walls 38 are positioned in the internal space 26. Each of the walls 36 and 38 is coupled to the front 14, the back 16, the top 22 and the bottom 24. The pair of left walls 36 is positioned proximate to the left side 18. The pair of right walls 38 is positioned proximate to the right side 20. The back 16 is dimensionally wider than the front 14, such that the left side 18 and the right side 20 are obtusely coupled to the front 14 and acutely coupled to the back 16 defining respectively a left compartment 40 and a right compartment 42 of the cabinet 12. The left compartment 40 and the right compartment 42 are triangularly shaped when viewed longitudinally.
The pair of left walls 36 and a strip 37 of the front 14 between the left walls 36 extend past the top 22, defining a rectangle 44. The rectangle 44 has a lateral brace 46 coupled to and extending between the pair of left walls 36, defining a back section 48 and a front section 50. The left side 18 extends past the top 22 defining a surface storage area 52. The surface storage area 52 is triangular.
A plurality of cups 54 is coupled to and positioned through the top 22. The cups 54 are positioned in the surface storage area 52, such that the cups 54 are configured for storage of spoons, forks, knives, straws, disposable cups and other items. Preferably, the plurality of cups 54 comprises four cups 54.
Respective ones of a plurality of drawers 56 are positioned between and slidably coupled to the pair of left walls 36. Drawers 56 also are positioned between and slidably coupled to the pair of right walls 38. A plurality of bins 58 is positioned in the left compartment 40. Each of the bins 58 is hingedly coupled to the left side 18 proximate to the front 14. Preferably, the plurality of bins 58 comprises three bins 58. A cup tray 60 that is complimentary to and positioned in an uppermost bin 62 is configured for storage of variously sized cups. The cup tray 60 comprises a plurality of concavities 64 positioned in a panel 66 coupled to an interior 68 of the cup tray 60.
A plurality of cubby holes 70 is positioned in the left compartment 40 below the top 22 and above the plurality of bins 58. Each cubby hole 70 is defined by a respective one of a plurality of separators 72, the top 22 and an upper panel 73. Preferably, the plurality of separators 72 comprises one separator 72, such that the plurality of cubby holes 70 comprises two cubby holes 70.
A plurality of rollers 74 is coupled to the bottom 24. Preferably, the rollers 74 comprise castors 76, the plurality of rollers 74 comprises four rollers 74, and each roller 74 is coupled to the bottom 24 proximate to a respective corner 78 of the bottom 24. A cooler 80 is positioned in the top 22 and extends into the internal space 26. The cooler 80 is insulated and positioned in the back section 48. A lid 82, which is complimentary to an upper opening 84 of the cooler 80 and insulated, is hingedly coupled to the cooler 80 proximate to the back 16.
A power module 86 is coupled to the cabinet 12 and positioned in the interior space 26. The power module 86 comprises at least one battery 88. A light 90, which is extendable from the interior space 26 through a complimentary aperture 92 in the top 22, is operationally coupled to the power module 86. The light 90 is stowable in the interior space 26 when not needed and extendable when illumination is required. Preferably, the light 90 is tubular and positioned proximate to the back 16 and the right side 20.
Each of a plurality of electronic locks 94 is coupled to the cabinet 12 and operationally coupled to a respective one of the plurality of drawers 56. Each of the electronic locks 94 is configured to selectively render the respective one of the plurality of drawers 56 in either a locked or an unlocked state. A keypad 96, which is reversibly couplable to the top 22, is operationally couplable to the power module 86 and to each of the electronic locks 94. The keypad 96 is configured to selectively unlock one or more of the plurality of drawers 56. A manual lock 98 is operationally coupled to each of the plurality of drawers 56. The manual lock 98 must be disengaged prior to the user employing the keypad 96. The manual lock 98 is positioned in the arcuate cavity 28 proximate to the top 22.
A pill manipulator 100 that is capable of cutting and crushing pills is positioned on the top 22. Preferably, the pill manipulator 100 is positioned in the front section 50 of the rectangle 44. A trash receptacle 102 is positioned in the right compartment 42 proximate to the back 16 and below the light 90. The trash receptacle 102 has an opening 104 proximate to an upper edge 106, such that the opening 104 is accessible to a user standing in the arcuate cavity 28 for disposal of trash. Preferably, the opening 104 is circular. The trash receptacle 102 is quadrilaterally shaped when viewed longitudinally.
A sharps receptacle 108 is positioned in the right compartment 42 proximate to the front 14. The sharps receptacle 108 has an aperture 110 proximate to an upper rim 112, such that the aperture 110 is accessible to a user standing in the arcuate cavity 28 for disposal of sharps. Preferably, the aperture 110 is square. The sharps receptacle 108 is triangular when viewed longitudinally. The sharps receptacle 108 and the trash receptacle 102 together are triangular when viewed longitudinally and are complimentary to the right compartment 42.
A decorative drawer front 114 is positioned below the top 22 and above the drawers 56 positioned between the pair of left walls 36. Each of a plurality of handles 116 is coupled to a respective one of the plurality of drawers 56, the plurality of bins 58 and the decorative drawer front 114. Preferably, the plurality of handles 116 comprises eleven handles 116.
In use, the rollers 74 are positioned on the cabinet 12 imparting mobility. The cavity 28 is configured to allow the user ready access to the trash receptacle 102, the sharps receptacle 108, the bins 58, the cubby holes 70 and, upon unlocking with the keypad 96, the drawers 56. Various utensils and cups stored in the surface storage area 52 and cooled items stored in the cooler 80 are readily accessible. The pill manipulator 100 is configured to use in cutting and crushing pills.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
