Patent Publication Number: US-2011068562-A1

Title: Medication cart

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a medication cart and more particularly to a medication cart which may be used in hospitals, rest homes, nursing homes or the like to conveniently deliver medication to patients therein. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Medication carts are commonly used in rest homes, nursing homes and hospitals to deliver medications to individual patients located throughout the facility. Applicants believe that the medication carts of the prior art are not easily maneuverable since only a pair of handles are normally provided on opposite sides of the cart. Further, the medication carts of the prior art are not believed to provide sufficient countertop space thereon to enable the efficient dispensing of the medications and preparing the necessary documentation relating to the dispensing of the medications. Further, it is believed that the prior art medication carts do not provide a means for conveniently supporting files in a selectively movable fashion above the countertop portion of the cart. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     A medication cart is described which includes an upstanding housing or cabinet having upper and lower ends and which includes a wheeled base, a front portion, a back portion, a right side portion, a left side portion, and a generally horizontally disposed countertop portion. Preferably, the wheels of the base of the cart are caster wheels and have brakes associated therewith. The housing has a first upstanding post at the juncture of the left side portion and the front portion, a second upstanding post at the juncture of the front portion and the right side portion, a third upstanding post at the juncture of the left side portion and the back portion, and a fourth upstanding post at the juncture of the back portion and the left side portion. Each of the first, second, third and fourth posts have upper ends which define hand gripping portions which enable a person to grasp one or two of the gripping portions to maneuver the housing. The front portion of the housing has a plurality of selectively movable medication drawers positioned therein which are slidably movable from a closed position beneath the countertop portion to an open position. The left side portion of the housing has a receptacle support removably secured thereto which includes one or more receptacles therein. The right side portion of the housing has a pair of trash receptacles selectively removably mounted thereon. 
     A vertically disposed support member is selectively positioned within one of the first, second, third and fourth posts and has a support arm pivotally secured thereto about a vertical axis. The support arm supports a file or computer supporting device thereon so that files or a laptop computer may be movably positioned above the countertop. A tray is selectively movably mounted on the housing and which is movable from a vertically disposed stowed position to a horizontally disposed operative position. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved medication cart. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a medication cart which includes upstanding posts at the corners thereof which define hand gripping portions at the upper ends thereof which enable the cart to be easily maneuvered in various directions. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a medication cart which includes an auxiliary countertop or tray which is selectively movable between a vertically disposed stowed position to a horizontally disposed operative position. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a medication cart which is convenient to use. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a medication cart which is aesthetic in appearance. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a left front perspective view of the cart of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a right rear perspective view of the medication cart of this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the medication cart of this invention with the optional file support provided thereon; 
         FIG. 4  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  except that the file support is shown to be supporting files thereon; 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  but which shows a laptop computer being positioned on the file support; 
         FIG. 6  is a top view of the medication cart of this invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial exploded left side view of the medication cart illustrating the manner in which various receptacles may be mounted thereon,  FIG. 7  also illustrating that different sizes of drawers may be mounted in the cart; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of the medication cart with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a partial sectional view illustrating the manner in which the receptacles may be mounted to the cart; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view illustrating the manner in which the posts may be grasped and move the cart in a first direction; and 
         FIG. 11  illustrates the manner in which the cart may also be grasped to move the cart in a second direction. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The medication cart of this invention is referred to generally by the reference numeral  10  and includes a cabinet or housing  12  having an upper end  14  and a lower end  16 . Housing  12  includes a front portion  18 , back portion  20 , left side portion  22 , right side portion  24 , wheeled base portion  26  including wheels  27 , and a countertop  28  with a recessed portion or area  30 . 
     Housing  12  also includes a first upstanding post  32 , a second upstanding post  34 , a third upstanding post  36  and a fourth upstanding post  38  at the corners thereof. Posts  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  are hollow and have a unique shape as illustrated in the drawings. The unique shape of the posts  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38  provide gripping portions  40 ,  42 ,  44  and  46  at the upper ends thereof respectively which are ergonomically designed so that a person may easily grasp the posts as illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11  to easily maneuver the cart  10  in different directions. 
     The numeral  48  refers to drawers which may be of different sizes as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 5  and which are slidably moved with respect to the housing  12  from a closed position beneath the countertop  28  to an open position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
     The numeral  50  refers to a receptacle mount which is selectively removably secured to the left side portion  22  of housing  12  and which has one or more receptacle components therein such as a sharps container or the like. As seen in drawings, the front portion of the receptacle mount  50  has a pair of doors  52  which are lockable. One or more trash receptacles  54  are detachably secured to the right side portion  24 . As seen in  FIG. 7 , the left side portion  22  is provided with a pair of vertically disposed angle brackets  56  and  58  which are adapted to releasably receive the angle brackets  60  and  62  of the receptacle mount  50 . If desired, the trash receptacles  54  may be either secured to right side portion  24  or the left side portion  22 . Preferably, the upper end of receptacle mount  50  has a supporting surface  64  provided thereon. The numeral  66  refers to a support tray or auxiliary countertop which is selectively movably mounted on mount  50  from the stowed position illustrated in  FIG. 7  to the operative position in  FIG. 4 . When in its operative position, tray  66  rests upon the surface  53  of mount  50  to lend support to the tray  66  with the tray  66  providing additional work surface space or countertop space. 
     Preferably, post  38  has an opening  70  formed therein which receives a support post  72  therein with the upper end of post  72  being positioned above the upper end of the housing  12 . Support arm assembly  74  is selectively movably mounted on the support post  72  so that file/computer support plate  76  may be selectively movably positioned with respect to the housing. Support plate  76  can support a laptop computer  78  or a file tray  88  which has an upstanding lower lip  83  so that the files  84  thereon will not slip therefrom. 
     Preferably the wheels  27  of the cart have brakes  80  thereon. Preferably, the drawers  48  may be locked in their closed position by means of a conventional lock assembly  82 . 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.