Abstract:
A specimen supporting and labeling system including the provision of at least one electronic device. A volume defining bin holds a plurality of specimens and supports the electronic device. A pedestal charging base seats within a recessed underside associated with the bin, with a first plurality of contact locations communicated along an upper face of the charging base. A second plurality of contact locations communicates along a bottom face of the bin associated with the recessed underside. The bin further incorporates an interior architecture extending from the second contact locations and communicates a charge originating from the base to the electronic device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/116,665, filed Nov. 21, 2008 and entitled Patient Bedside Power Caddy Label System. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related generally to a portable and volume defining, carry-able bin which incorporates both one or more portable and task specific electronic devices, combined with accommodation for a number of specimen related items. More specifically, the present invention teaches such a bin for use in the medical industry (and in particular for use by phlebotomists and nurses) and which can quickly and conveniently recharge the electronic items contained within the bin. The system combines the features of a specimen carrying bin along with an electronic architecture incorporated into the bin design and which communicates electrical charge from a pedestal charging base to power cords extending from the bin to the electronic devices, this occurring upon the bin being set upon the pedestal charging base, with the recharging of the batteries occurring while they remain installed within the respective electronic devices (e.g. mobile printer, barcode scanner or other personal digital assistant, i.e. PDA). 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A number of battery holding and charging devices are known in the art, the purpose for which being to quickly and effectively recharge one or more batteries associated with a given device. Examples of these include such as the holder and battery charger system for portable electronic devices as set forth in Garcia 2008/0157712. 
     A charger cradle used for charging a battery of a portable electronic device is further disclosed in Yazdi 2008/01501482 and in which an electromagnetic device is disposed within a charger cradle proximate a metal piece of a cordless handset. The electromagnetic device generates a magnetic field creating an attractive force to assisting in retaining the handset when it is placed in a receiving portion of the charger cradle. 
     In the medical profession, it is also known to use a combination of portable electronic devices, such as portable printers, bar code scanners and PDA&#39;s, such as further in the field of phlebotomy. In this particular field, it is desirable to be able to draw, tag and correctly retain multiple specimens, while utilizing the associated electronic devices in a convenient fashion to ensure accuracy, such heretofore being a challenge in the prior art. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention discloses a specimen supporting and labeling system, such as including the provision of at least one application relevant electronic device. The system includes a volume defining bin holds a plurality of specimens and supports the electronic device. A pedestal charging base seats within a recessed underside associated with the bin, with a first plurality of contact locations communicated along an upper face of the charging base. A second plurality of contact locations communicates along a bottom face of the bin associated with the recessed underside. 
     The bin further incorporates an interior architecture extending from the second contact locations and communicates a charge originating from the base to the electronic device. Additional features includes the pedestal charging base receiving an AC power supply for converting the same to an output DC current and further including a fuse in communication with an inlet location for receiving the AC power supply. 
     One or more electronic device specific power adapter units are incorporated into the pedestal base, at a location between the fuse and the first plurality of contact locations incorporated into the base. A pressure activated mechanical relay switch is incorporated into the pedestal charging base, in cooperating fashion with the first plurality of contact locations. A selected contact associated with the second plurality of contact locations extends from the bin underside engaging the relay switch to establish a closed charging circuit concurrent with the bin setting upon the pedestal base. 
     The second plurality of contact locations projects downwardly from the recessed bin underside and seats through apertures defined in the upper face of said pedestal charging base to engage the first plurality of contact locations defined within the base. The second plurality of contact locations each further includes a male end projecting and spring loaded pin. The first plurality of contact locations each further exhibits a pair of opposing spaced and female receiving channel defining portions for receiving therebetween the male pins. 
     An LED indicator lamp is incorporated into a visible location of the bin and communicates, via a line extending from an charging output associated with the second contact locations, to confirm establishment of a closed charging circuit. The bin includes an integrally defined and upwardly extending carrying handle, and further configures first and second integrally defined charger cradles located at opposite ends of the handle for receiving first and second electronic devices. 
     A charging contact is engageable with each electronic device (such as a handheld barcode scanner, mobile printer or PDA) and, upon the device being seated with said cradle, establishes a closed charging circuit. The interior architecture associated with the bin can also generating a magnetic field which is communicated to the cradle and for attracting a metal portion associated with the electronic device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an environmental view in perspective of the portable carrying bin according to one possible variant of the present inventions; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1  and further illustrating the features of the pedestal charging base, the specimen supporting and organizing bin, and the associated portable electronic devices which are supported upon the bin; 
         FIG. 3  is a cutaway view taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 1  and further illustrating the interior charging architecture associated with both the bin and pedestal charging base; 
         FIG. 4  is a related and combined architecture and flow diagram of the bin and pedestal charging base shown in  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating one possible variant of operational protocol associated with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present teaches such an article supporting bin, such as for use in the medical industry (and in particular for use by phlebotomists and nurses) and which can quickly and conveniently recharge the electronic items contained within the bin. As will be described throughout the succeeding illustrations, the system combines the features of a specimen carrying bin, along with an electronic architecture incorporated into the bin design and which communicates electrical charge from a pedestal charging base to power cords extending from the bin to the electronic devices. 
     Recharging of the portable electronic devices occurs upon the bin being set upon the pedestal charging base, with the recharging of the batteries occurring while they remain installed within the respective electronic devices (e.g. mobile printer, barcode scanner or other personal digital assistant, i.e. PDA) and by virtue of a device specific power connecting cord extending from the electrical architecture of the bin and plugging into the device. Additional to the medical/phlebotomy variant described herein, it is further envisioned and understood that the system according to the present invention can be equally and as effectively applied to any environment (including those outside of the medical field) and in which it is desired to provide an article carrier (such as including any of a tray, bin or base), combined with dedicated interior architecture interfacing between a pedestal recharging base and one or more task specific portable electronic devices supported within the article carrier. 
     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , an environmental view is shown in perspective at  10  of a specimen supporting and labeling system and includes a portable carrying bin  12  set upon a pedestal charging base (further shown in phantom). The bin  12  includes a heavy duty and insulated plastic construction including a multi-sided outer extending and depth defining wall. An integrally formed and centrally/upwardly extending carrying handle is farther shown at  14 , a recessed interior being defined in the bin between the handle  14  and the outer disposed walls (again at  12 ). The bin further exhibits multiple vial receiving cavities, see at  16 ,  18 ,  20 , et. seq., these capable of holding such as medical (blood) vials  22 ,  24 ,  26 , et. seq. in an organized fashion. 
     As further shown in each of  FIGS. 1-3 , the bin also includes configures first and second integrally defined charger cradles, see at  28  and  30 , in the illustrated embodiment shown as located at opposite ends of the handle  14  and for receiving first  32  and second  34  of the electronic devices. As best shown in the exploded view of  FIG. 2 , the selected cradle  28  exhibits an interior configuration suitable for receiving the selected device  32  (such as portable PDA and/or patient wristband barcode scanner), the other cradle  30  also being shown in  FIG. 3  and providing seating capacity for the other portable device  34  (e.g. mobile printer). 
     As further best shown in the lineal cutaway of  FIG. 3 , the bin exhibits a central underside recess, this further being defined by depth extending inner walls  36  and  38  (the distance between these and the outer walls such as at  12  establishing the volume holding interior of the bin. The pedestal charging base  40  (see as best shown in  FIG. 2 ) includes an upwardly configured side walls  42  and  44  (with interconnecting end walls as further shown at  46  and  48 ), the three dimensional and upwardly extending configuration of the pedestal base being such that it seats in mating and supporting fashion within the underside of the bin. Although not shown, it is understood that the mating configuration established between the bin and pedestal charging base can be modified from that shown and within the scope of the invention. 
     An upper face  50  of the pedestal charging base  40  (as best shown in  FIG. 2 ) exhibits a plurality of apertures  52 , these communicating to a first plurality of interiorly positioned and supported contact locations  54 ,  56 ,  58 ,  60 , and  62  (see also  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) defined within the charging base. Additional features associated with the pedestal charging base include an input AC power supply  64  seating within an input location  66  of the pedestal charging base. A fuse  68  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) is provided to guard against the occurrence of an AC current surge, and au on/off reset trigger is also shown at  70  ( FIG. 2 ). 
     One or more electronic device specific power adapter units, such as shown at  72  and  74  in the  FIG. 3  cutaway, are incorporated into the pedestal base  40  at a location between the fuse  68  and the first plurality of contact locations  54 - 62  incorporated into the base. The power adaptor units operate to converting the AC power input to a regulated output DC current. A pressure activated mechanical relay switch is also shown at  76  and is incorporated into the pedestal charging base, in cooperating fashion with the first plurality of contact locations  54 - 62  and further such that a trigger portion  78  of the switch  76  (again shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) is positioned in interior communicating fashion with an end-most of the pedestal base situated apertures  52 . 
     As again best shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a second plurality of contact locations, at  80 ,  82 ,  84 ,  86 ,  88  and  90  are configured in downwardly extending fashion from the recessed underside of the bin. The contact locations  80 - 90  form a portion of the interior electrical architecture incorporated into the bin and each further includes a male end extending and spring loaded pin (see as best shown by pins  92 ,  94 ,  96 ,  98 ,  100  and  102  corresponding to contact locations  80 - 90  in the modified view of  FIG. 4 ). 
     As further shown, and upon securing the bin upon the charging base, the spring loaded pins  92 - 100  communicate through the surface apertures  52  and respectively engage a pair of opposing spaced and female receiving channel defining portions corresponding to each of the first contact locations  54 - 62 . The spring loaded pin  102  associated with the further (or sixth) second contact location communicates through an end-most positioned aperture  52  and engages the trigger  78  associated with the relay, this resulting in the establishment of a closed circuit and the ability of DC charging power to flow through the established contacts and into the bin. 
     As illustrated in each of  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the first plurality of contact locations  54 - 62  extend from a common bus  104  incorporated into the pedestal base, the bus  104  being communicated by a plurality of lines, see further at  106 ,  108 ,  110 ,  112  and  114  ( FIG. 3 ) extending from the adapter units  72  and  74 . A further communicating line  116  extends from the selected adapter unit  74  to an input side of the relay  76  and, upon deflection of the trigger  74  by the associated pin  102 , establishes the desired closed circuit to permit current flow into the bin. While a total of six individual contact locations are illustrated, it is understood that any plurality of dedicated contact locations can be established between the bin and charger base and pursuant to any specified variant not limited to that particularly described and illustrated. 
     As again best shown in  FIG. 4 , a further common bus  118  is established on an output side of the second contact locations  80 - 90  associated with the interior bin architecture.  FIG. 3  further shows a plurality of output lines  120 ,  122 ,  124 , and  126  associated with the output bus  118 . An LED indicator lamp  128  is located at a visible location of the bin (such as shown being a top corner location of the handle  14 ) and is communicated to the bus output line  120 , via a further line  130  (again  FIG. 3 ) and, when illuminated, confirms the existence of a closed charging circuit established between the bin and pedestal charging base. 
     Additional charging contacts are shown at  132  and  134  (see again  FIG. 3 ) extend from selected output lines  120 - 126  and engage input locations associated with the portable electronic devices in order to charge the same. Additional to the lines illustrated at  132  and  134 , these typically plugging into a charge location associated with each device, it is also envisioned that other cradle charging contact configurations can also be employed, such as associated with a typical phone charging arrangement and which permit the portable device to be simply engaged upon the cradle, and without the need to plug in a separate line. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 2 , the bin supported output bus  118  and associated lines  120 - 126  are also capable of communicating a magnetic field (such as to a location shown at  136  associated with cradle  28 ) for creating an attracting force against a metal portion (e.g. at  138 ) associated with the associated electronic device and an order to secure the same to the cradle without the requirement of additional snaps, clips or other fasteners. In this fashion, the combination bin and charger base enables convenient charging of the batteries contained within the associated electronic devices, see at shown at  140  associated with scanner  32  in  FIG. 3 , and without the requirement of first having to remove the batteries from the associated device for separate charging. 
     Referring finally to  FIG. 5 , a flow chart illustration is shown of one possible variant of operational protocol associated with one preferred embodiment of the present invention. As previously described, the illustrated application associated with the combination bin and charging base system focuses on the ability of medical personnel (e.g. plebotomists and nurses) to operate more efficiently by utilizing mobile and wireless technology, such as further in the scanning of barcode information contained upon a patient&#39;s wristband, this information being sent to the associated mobile printer for creation of a label, in turn applied to the relevant specimen (e.g. blood) holding vial. That said, it is again understood that the combination charging bin with interior architecture and associated pedestal charger base can be re-adapted for configuration to any other possible specimen collecting and data entry application (not limited to medical). 
     Referring again to  FIG. 5 , start position  140  is succeeded by query  142  inquiring whether all portable device batteries are charged. If no, the portable electronic device (e.g. scanner or PDA) is set upon the designated charging cradle (at step  144 ), following which the entire bin (or caddy) is set upon the pedestal charging unit at step  146 . At step  148 , the LED indicates the batteries are fully charged, further such as by converting from a solid illumination to a flashing pattern. 
     If the answer to query  142  is yes, the indicated medical personnel scans barcode information on the patient&#39;s wristband or records other patient information (at step  150 ) such as further using the PDA or barcode scanner (at  152 ). If a PDA is used, a linear or 2D scan of patient wristband is done at step  156 , following which the PDA accesses a data base for print data (at  156 ) and proceeds to print the data sent to the mobile printer such a via Bluetooth technology (at  158 ). 
     If a scanner is used rather than a PDA, query  152  is followed by a query as to whether to print an order label, at  160 . If yes, succeeding steps include inserting a roll of two part single labels into the mobile printer (step  162 ), scanning the 2D barcode on an order form (step  164 ), printing the first part of the label (at step  166 ), scanning the 2D barcode on the patient&#39;s wristband (step  168 ) and completing the two part label (at  170 ). Following step  170 , a query  172  asks if additional labels are needed. If yes steps  164 - 170  are repeated. If no, the protocol advances to end  174 . 
     If the answer to query  160  is no, the protocol advances to scanning the 2D barcode on the patient&#39;s wristband (at step  176 ), transmitting the data via serial Bluetooth interface (at  178 ), and printing the data sent to the mobile printer via serial communications (at  180 ). Both the step  180  and  158  outputs are connected in common to a label printing step  182 , following which a final protocol query asks, at step  184 , if additional labels are needed. If yes, the protocol routes to step  186  at which the feed button is pressed on the mobile printer to request an additional label. If no, step  184  progresses to previously identified end step  174 . 
     Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains, and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.