IP Library Granted Patent US 12,349,789
Granted Patent B2
US 12,349,789 · App. 18/466,607 · Granted Jul 8, 2025

Undercounter refrigerator with access control

Inventors: Thomas J. Larkner (Noblesville, IN); Adam A. Cloud (Noblesville, IN); Jason L. Hessler (Noblesville, IN); Dennis H. Smith (Noblesville, IN); Kyle T. Stout (Noblesville, IN); Doug R. Sanqunetti (Noblesville, IN); Bryan T. Shannon (Noblesville, IN)
Assignee: HELMER SCIENTIFIC, LLC
A47B67/02A47B88/457E05B65/462G07F9/026G07F9/105G07F11/62G07F17/0092
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,349,789
App. No.
18/466,607
Granted
Jul 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An embodiment of a medical product storage device including an enclosure at least partially defined by a door and a plurality of drawer assemblies positioned in the enclosure. Each of the plurality of drawer assemblies defining a respective compartment within the enclosure. In addition, each of the plurality of drawer assemblies includes a plurality of storage containers positioned within the compartment; and a plurality of actuators that are coupled to a back end of the drawer assembly that is spaced from the door such that each of the plurality of actuators is configured to selectively secure or release a respective storage container of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment, and such that the drawer assembly is configured to be removed from the enclosure as a unit with the plurality of actuators.

Claims (49)

1. A medical product storage device comprising:

an enclosure at least partially defined by a door; and

a plurality of drawer assemblies positioned in the enclosure, each of the plurality of drawer assemblies defining a respective compartment within the enclosure, and each of the plurality of drawer assemblies including:

a plurality of storage containers positioned within the compartment, wherein each of the plurality of storage containers includes a bottom surface having a plurality of ribs spaced along a width of the storage container, wherein the plurality of ribs are configured to at least partially block access to a back end of the storage container along the bottom surface; and

a plurality of actuators that are coupled to a back end of the drawer assembly that is spaced from the door such that each of the plurality of actuators is configured to selectively secure or release a respective storage container of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment, and such that the drawer assembly is configured to be removed from the enclosure as a unit with the plurality of actuators.

2. The medical product storage device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of drawer assemblies further comprises a separate override mechanism that is configured to release each of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment independent of the plurality of actuators.

3. The medical product storage device of claim 2 , wherein each override mechanism includes a user interface that is configured to be manually manipulated to release each of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment.

4. The medical product storage device of claim 3 , wherein the user interface comprises a key actuated lock.

5. The medical product storage device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of ribs includes a first set of parallel ribs positioned at a front end of the bottom surface and a second set of parallel ribs positioned at the back end of the bottom surface, and wherein each of the first set of ribs and each of the second set of ribs is elongated along a longitudinal direction of the corresponding storage container.

6. A medical product storage device comprising:

an enclosure at least partially defined by a door;

a plurality of drawer assemblies positioned in the enclosure, each of the plurality of drawer assemblies including:

a frame that is removable from the enclosure independent of a remainder of the plurality of drawer assemblies, the frame defining a compartment having a front end that is proximate to the door and a back end that is distal from the door;

one or more storage containers positioned in the compartment, wherein

each of the one or more storage containers includes:

a top side;

a retainer that is configured to engage with a corresponding latch; and

one or more upward extending wings at least partially surrounding the retainer on the top side to at least partially block access to the retainer; and

an actuation system connected to and carried on the frame, the actuation system including:

one or more latches that are configured to engage with the one or more storage containers along the back end of the compartment to secure the one or more storage containers in the compartment; and

one or more actuators that are each configured to release a respective latch of the one or more latches to release a respective storage container of the one or more storage containers from the compartment.

7. The medical product storage device of claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of drawer assemblies further comprises a separate override mechanism that is configured to release each of the one or more latches from the one or more storage containers independent of the one or more actuators.

8. The medical product storage device of claim 7 , wherein each override mechanism is carried on the frame of the respective drawer assembly so that each override mechanism is removable from the enclosure with the corresponding frame.

9. The medical product storage device of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more storage containers includes:

an opening on the top side;

a cover extending across the opening along the top side; and

a spacer extending upward from the cover to at least partially block access to the retainer, wherein the spacer comprises a wall that extends in a perpendicular direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the storage container.

10. The medical product storage device of claim 6 , wherein each of the one or more storage containers has a bottom surface that includes a plurality of ribs spaced along a width of the storage container that are configured to at least partially block access to the respective latch of the plurality of latches.

11. A medical product storage device comprising:

an enclosure at least partially defined by a door; and

a drawer assembly positioned in the enclosure, the drawer assembly including:

a frame defining a compartment having a front end proximate to the door and a back end distal from the door;

one or more storage containers positioned in the compartment; and

an actuation system including:

one or more latches that are configured to engage with the one or more storage containers at the back end to secure the one or more storage containers in the compartment;

one or more actuators mounted to the frame such that the one or more actuators are removable from the enclosure along with the frame, the one or more actuators configured to selectively release the latches from the one or more storage containers; and

an override mechanism mounted to the frame such that the override mechanism is removable from the enclosure along with the frame, and wherein the override mechanism is configured to release each of the one or more latches from the one or more storage containers independent of the one or more actuators, wherein the override mechanism includes a user interface that is configured to be manually manipulated to release each of the one or more latches from the one or more storage containers, and wherein the override mechanism includes a user interface that is configured to be manually manipulated to release each of the one or more latches from the one or more storage containers.

12. The medical product storage device of claim 11 , wherein each of the one or more storage containers has a bottom surface that includes a plurality of ribs spaced along a width of the storage container that are configured to at least partially block access to the respective latch of the one or more latches.

13. A medical product storage device comprising:

an enclosure at least partially defined by a door; and

a plurality of drawer assemblies positioned in the enclosure, each of the plurality of drawer assemblies defining a respective compartment within the enclosure, and each of the plurality of drawer assemblies including:

a plurality of storage containers positioned within the compartment, wherein each of the plurality of storage containers includes an open top side, a closed bottom side, and a spacer extending upward from the top side that is configured to at least partially block access to a back end of the storage container, and wherein each of the plurality of storage containers includes a cover at least partially covering the open top side, wherein the spacer extends upward from the cover, and wherein the spacer comprises a wall that extends in a perpendicular direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the corresponding one of the plurality of storage containers; and

a plurality of actuators that are coupled to a back end of the drawer assembly that is spaced from the door such that each of the plurality of actuators is configured to selectively secure or release a respective storage container of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment, and such that the drawer assembly is configured to be removed from the enclosure as a unit with the plurality of actuators.

14. A medical product storage device comprising:

an enclosure at least partially defined by a door; and

a plurality of drawer assemblies positioned in the enclosure, each of the plurality of drawer assemblies defining a respective compartment within the enclosure, and each of the plurality of drawer assemblies including:

a plurality of storage containers positioned within the compartment;

a plurality of actuators that are coupled to a back end of the drawer assembly that is spaced from the door such that each of the plurality of actuators is configured to selectively secure or release a respective storage container of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment, and such that the drawer assembly is configured to be removed from the enclosure as a unit with the plurality of actuators; and

a separate override mechanism that is configured to release each of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment independent of the plurality of actuators, wherein each override mechanism includes a user interface that is configured to be manually manipulated to release each of the plurality of storage containers relative to the compartment, and wherein the user interface comprises a handle that is occluded by a cover within the enclosure.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2024
From: LARKNER, THOMAS J.; CLOUD, ADAM A.; HESSLER, JASON L.; SMITH, DENNIS H.; STOUT, KYLE T.; SANQUNETTI, DOUG R.
To: HELMER, INC.
Reel/Frame 068044/0084 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2024
From: LARKNER, THOMAS J.; CLOUD, ADAM A.; HESSLER, JASON L.; SMITH, DENNIS H.; STOUT, KYLE T.; SANQUNETTI, DOUG R.; SHANNON, BRYAN T.
To: HELMER, INC.
Reel/Frame 068477/0154 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 22, 2024
From: HELMER, INC.
To: HELMER SCIENTIFIC, LLC
Reel/Frame 068477/0184 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 16756634
Provisional Application 62573418 · Oct 17, 2017
Related Publication 20240000226A1 · Jan 4, 2024
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