Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
127 words
said support frame side members..!.. .5. The medication accounting system according to claim 4 in which the Z axis carriage means includes: a plurality or standards vertically supported by said first platform; a motor mount extending between the upper limit of said standards; an externally threaded shaft extending vertically between and journalled by said first platform and said motor mount; a second platform surrounding an intermediate portion of the threaded shaft and slidably guided by said standards; Z axis motor means for angularly rotating said threaded shaft and vertically reciprocating said second platform; a motor driven vacuum pump supported by said second platform; and, a plurality of telescoping tubes vertically depending from and operatively connected with said vacuum pump for removing a tablet or capsule from a
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
selected container of said plurality of containers..!..Iadd.6. An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications in tablet or capsule form to a patient, comprising: (a) a compartment adapted to house a plurality of containers for holding medications in tablet or capsule form, wherein each location of the compartment for housing a container is fixed relative to the apparatus, and wherein said compartment is not readily accessible to an unauthorized person; (b) a computer adapted to be programmed to correlate a patient's identity with the medications that are appropriate for the patient at the time; (c) a carrier responsive to said computer, wherein said carrier is adapted to move under the control of said computer to the location for each container that holds a medication appropriate for the patient, then to create a partial vacuum to retrieve the medication from each appropriate container, and then to release the partial vacuum and place the retrieved medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient. .Iaddend..Iadd.7. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, additionally adapted to house a plurality of second containers for holding
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
medications not in tablet or capsule form. .Iaddend..Iadd.8. An apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to maintain a record of all medications administered to each patient.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
226 words
.Iaddend..Iadd.9. An apparatus for dispensing appropriate medications in tablet or capsule form to a patient, comprising: (a) a compartment adapted to house a plurality of containers for holding medications in tablet or capsule form; wherein, with respect to a hypothetical rectangular x, y, z-Cartesian coordinate system superimposed on said apparatus, in which the z-direction is vertical, said compartment is adapted to house a plurality of containers that are accessible along the z-direction; wherein each location of the compartment for housing a container is fixed relative to the apparatus, with the fixed locations regularly spaced with respect to one another in both the x-direction and the z-direction; and wherein said compartment is not readily accessible to an unauthorized person; (b) a computer adapted to be programmed to correlate a patient's identity with the medications that are appropriate for the patient at the time; (c) a carrier responsive to said computer, wherein said carrier is adapted to move above the containers under the control of said computer to the x and y coordinates of each of the containers that holds a medication that is appropriate for the patient, then to lower a retrieval device along the z-direction into each appropriate container to retrieve medication from that container, and then to release the retrieved medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
78 words
.Iaddend..Iadd.10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said retrieval device is adapted to create a partial vacuum to retrieve medication from the appropriate containers, and then to release the partial vacuum and to place the medication where it may readily be retrieved by a human to administer to the patient. .Iaddend..Iadd.11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said computer is additionally programmed to maintain a record of all medications administered to each patient. .Iaddend.