IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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출원번호 |
US-0346046
(2012-01-09)
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등록번호 |
US-8302640
(2012-11-06)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Molina, Carlos
- Brang, Michael Joseph
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출원인 / 주소 |
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대리인 / 주소 |
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
0 인용 특허 :
15 |
초록
▼
A system and method is provided for capturing and releasably retaining one or more vials of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation. Embodiments include a housing partially defining one or more vial engagement stations. Each station includes a clamp element and a latch element which
A system and method is provided for capturing and releasably retaining one or more vials of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation. Embodiments include a housing partially defining one or more vial engagement stations. Each station includes a clamp element and a latch element which, upon insertion of a vial into the respective station, cooperate to capture and releasably retain the vial. A handle portion may be provided by which the clamp element may be returned to and latched in its open configuration, thereby also releasing the vial from the respective station. Each station may accommodate vials of various diameters. The housing may be mountable to a pole stand in vertically-adjustable fashion. The system may allow the vials to be retained at an angle with respect to the stand or local horizontal surface. Embodiments may further comprise a tray support bracket and removable drip tray element.
대표청구항
▼
1. A system adapted for capturing and releasably retaining at least one vial of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation wherein the top of said at least one vial remains accessible to a syringe needle, said system comprising: at least one vial engagement station partially defined by
1. A system adapted for capturing and releasably retaining at least one vial of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation wherein the top of said at least one vial remains accessible to a syringe needle, said system comprising: at least one vial engagement station partially defined by a housing element, said vial engagement station including a clamp element and a latch element and being adapted to receive a vial for releasable retention thereof in said at least partially inverted orientation, said clamp element being pivotably associated with said housing element for movement between an open configuration and a clamping configuration and being elastically biased toward its clamping configuration, said latch element being movable between a latching configuration and an unlatching configuration and being resiliently biased toward its latching configuration;wherein said clamp element is adapted to applying a clamping force to said vial when in its clamping configuration, and relieving said clamping force when moved toward its open configuration; andwherein said latch element is adapted to latchingly restrain said clamp element in said open configuration when said latch element is in its latching configuration, and said latch element is adapted to allowing said clamp element to move from said open configuration toward said clamping configuration when said latch element is in its unlatching configuration. 2. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said latch element includes a distal portion and is actuatable toward its unlatching configuration by way of an actuation force applied to said distal portion by way of said vial. 3. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said clamp element includes a handle portion accessible from outward of said housing element, said clamp element being movable from its clamping configuration to its open configuration by way of a reset force applied to its handle portion. 4. A system as defined in claim 1 comprising a multiplicity of said vial engagement stations, all of which are partially defined by the same said housing element. 5. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said housing element includes at least one window portion through which a label of said vial is able to be read from a viewing position outward of said housing element when said vial is in said releasable retention. 6. A system as defined in claim 1 in which each said vial engagement station includes a vial receiving aperture extending at least partially through said housing element, said vial receiving aperture being adapted to receive said vial therein such that the top of said vial extends outward of said housing element when said vial is in said releasable retention. 7. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said housing element includes a mounting portion with a mounting axis, said mounting portion being for vertically adjustable mounting of said housing element to an elongated substantially vertical stand element such that said mounting axis is generally parallel to said stand element. 8. A system as defined in claim 7 in which said at least partially inverted orientation is defined along a vial engagement axis, said vial engagement axis being at an orientation angle of greater than 0 degrees with respect to said mounting axis. 9. A system as defined in claim 8 in which said orientation angle is approximately between 5 degrees and 25 degrees. 10. A system as defined in claim 8 in which said orientation angle is readily adjustable. 11. A system as defined in claim 1 further comprising a drip tray and a tray support bracket, said drip tray being removably supportable by said tray support bracket. 12. A system as defined in claim 1 in which said at least partially inverted orientation is defined along a vial engagement axis, said clamp element includes a generally curved clamp wall and said housing element includes a generally curved fixed wall, said clamp wall and said fixed wall each having a respective axis of curvature which is substantially parallel to said vial engagement axis. 13. A system as defined in claim 12 in which said clamp wall includes or more elastomeric gripping elements thereon. 14. A system as defined in claim 12 in which said clamp element includes a handle portion and a spring engagement portion, said handle portion being accessible from outward of said housing element, said clamp element being movable from its clamping configuration to its open configuration by way of a reset force applied to its handle portion, said elastic bias being provided by a clamp spring element connected between said spring engagement portion and said housing element, said clamp wall being disposed generally between said spring engagement portion and said handle portion. 15. A system adapted for capturing and releasably retaining at least one vial of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation wherein the top of said at least one vial remains accessible to a syringe needle, said system comprising: at least one vial engagement station partially defined by a housing element, said vial engagement station including a clamp element and a latch element and being adapted to receive a vial for releasable retention thereof in said at least partially inverted orientation, said housing element including at least one window portion through which a label of said vial is able to be read from a viewing position outward of the housing element when said vial is in said releasable retension, said housing element further including a mounting portion with a mounting axis, said mounting portion being for vertically adjustable mounting of said housing element to an elongated substantially vertical stand element such that said mounting axis is generally parallel to said stand element, said at least partially inverted orientation being defined along a vial engagement axis, said vial engagement axis being at an orientation angle of greater than 0 degrees with respect to said mounting axis, said clamp element being connected to said housing element for movement between an open configuration and a clamping configuration and being elastically biased toward its clamping configuration, said latch element being movable between a latching configuration and an unlatching configuration and being resiliently biased toward its latching configuration, said latch element including a distal portion and being actuatable toward its unlatching configuration by way of an actuation force applied to said distal portion by way of said vial;wherein said clamp element is adapted to applying a clamping force to said vial when in its clamping configuration, and relieving said clamping force when moved toward its open configuration; andwherein said latch element is adapted to latchingly restrain said clamp element in said open configuration when said latch element is in its latching configuration, and said latch element is adapted to allowing said clamp element to move from said open configuration toward said clamping configuration when said latch element is in its unlatching configuration. 16. A system as defined in claim 15 in which said orientation angle is approximately between 5 degrees and 25 degrees. 17. A system as defined in claim 15 comprising a multiplicity of said vial engagement stations, all of which are partially defined by the same said housing element. 18. A system for capturing and releasably retaining at least one vial of medication in an at least partially inverted orientation wherein the top of said at least one vial remains accessible to a syringe needle, said system comprising: at least one vial engagement station partially defined by a housing element, said vial engagement station including a clamp element and a latch element and being configured to receive a vial for releasable retention thereof in said at least partially inverted orientation, said housing element including at least one window portion through which a label of said vial is able to be read from a viewing position outward of the housing element when said vial is in said releasable retention, said housing element further including a mounting portion with a mounting axis, said mounting portion being for vertically adjustable mounting of said housing element to an elongated substantially vertical stand element such that said mounting axis is generally parallel to said stand element, said at least partially inverted orientation being defined along a vial engagement axis, said vial engagement axis being at an orientation angle of approximately between 5 degrees and 25 degrees with respect to said mounting axis, said clamp element including a spring engagement portion, a handle portion and a clamp wall disposed generally therebetween, said handle portion extending generally outward of said housing element, said clamp element being connected to said housing element for movement between an open configuration and a clamping configuration and being elastically biased toward its clamping configuration, said elastic bias being provided by a clamp spring element connected between said spring engagement portion and said housing element, said clamp element being movable from its clamping configuration to its open configuration by way of a reset force applied to its handle portion, said latch element being movable between a latching configuration and an unlatching configuration and being resiliently biased toward its latching configuration, said latch element including a distal portion and being actuatable toward its unlatching configuration by way of an actuation force applied to said distal portion by way of said vial; anda drip tray and a tray support bracket, said drip tray being removably supportable by said tray support bracket, said tray support bracket being vertically adjustably mountable to said stand element;wherein said clamp element is adapted to applying a clamping force to said vial by way of said clamp wall when in its clamping configuration and said vial is received by said vial engagement station, and said clamp element is adapted to relieving said clamping force when moved toward its open configuration; andwherein said latch element is adapted to latchingly restrain said clamp element in said open configuration upon movement of said clamp element thereto when said latch element is in its latching configuration, and said latch element is adapted to allowing said clamp element to move from said open configuration toward said clamping configuration when said latch element is in its unlatching configuration. 19. A system as defined in claim 18 in which said clamp wall includes a vial engagement face with one or more elastomeric gripping elements thereon, said clamp wall being generally curved, said housing element includes a generally curved fixed wall, and said clamp wall and said fixed wall each have a respective axis of curvature which is substantially parallel to said vial engagement axis. 20. A system as defined in claim 18 in which said system comprises a multiplicity of said vial engagement stations, all of which are partially defined by the same said housing element. 21. A method for using at least one syringe to extract medication from at least one vial without requiring a human hand to grasp said at least one vile during said extraction, said method comprising: providing a vial engagement station partially defined by a housing element, said vial engagement station including a clamp element and a latch element, said clamp element including a handle portion and being pivotably associated with said housing element for movement between an open configuration and a clamping configuration, said clamp element being elastically biased toward its clamping configuration, said latch element being movable between a latching configuration and an unlatching configuration and being resiliently biased toward its latching configuration, said latch element including a distal portion and being actuatable toward its unlatching configuration by way of an actuation force applied to said distal portion, said latch element being adapted to latchingly restrain said clamp element in said open configuration when said latch element is in its latching configuration, and said latch element being adapted to allowing said clamp element to move from said open configuration toward said clamping configuration when said latch element is in its unlatching configuration;choosing a vial containing a selected medication;transporting said vial to said vial engagement station;at least partially inverting said vial;upwardly inserting said vial into said vial engagement station such that said vial applies said actuation force, resulting in movement of said clamp element to its clamping configuration wherein it applies a clamping force to said vial, said vial engagement station thereby releasably retaining said vial in an at least partially inverted orientation wherein the top of said vial remains accessible to a syringe needle of said syringe;reading a label of said vial from a viewing position outward of said housing element to verify said vial contains said selected medication;puncturing said top of said vial with said syringe needle;extracting at least a volume of said selected medication into said syringe;removing said syringe needle from said vial; andapplying a reset force to said handle portion, thereby causing said clamp element to move to its open configuration such that said latch element latches said clamp element in its open configuration. 22. A method as defined in claim 21 in which said housing element includes a window portion disposed between said label and said viewing position. 23. A method as defined in claim 21 comprising providing a multiplicity of said vial engagement stations, respective said vials and respective said syringes, wherein said vial engagement stations are partially defined by the same said housing element, and in which the steps of choosing, transporting, at least partially inverting, upwardly inserting and reading are performed for each respective said vial. 24. A method as defined in claim 21 in which said at least partially inverted orientation is defined along a vial engagement axis, said vial engagement axis being at an orientation angle of greater than 0 degrees with respect to a local horizontal surface.
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