A STORAGE DEVICE FOR STORING E.G. MEDICINES

DISPOSITIF DE RANGEMENT, PAR EXEMPLE DE MEDICAMENTS

English Abstract

The invention relates to a storage device for storing e.g. medicines, said
device being provided with closing means for preventing access to same.
According to the invention the closing means are coupled to an input device
into which an individual user code is to be input and/or read in before the
storage device can be opened, which device is further provided with
registration means with the aid of which at least the individual user code is
registered.

French Abstract

La présente invention concerne un dispositif de rangement qui permet de ranger, par exemple, des médicaments et qui comprend des organes de fermeture destinés à empêcher l'accès à son contenu. Les organes de fermeture de l'invention sont accouplés à un dispositif d'entrée dans lequel un code d'utilisateur individuel doit être entré et/ou lu pour que le dispositif de rangement puisse s'ouvrir. Ledit dispositif comporte également des organes d'enregistrement grâce auxquels le code d'utilisateur individuel est enregistré.

Claims

4
CLAIMS
1. A storage device for storing e.g. medicines, said
device being provided with closing means for preventing access
to same, characterized in that the closing means are coupled to
an input device into which an individual user code is to be
input and/or read in before the storage device can be opened,
which device is further provided with registration means with
the aid of which at least the individual user code is
registered.
2. A storage device as claimed in claim 1, characterized
in that the registration means record the point of time at which
the storage device is opened.
3. A storage device as claimed in claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the input device comprises a keyboard.
4. A storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to
3, characterized in that the input device is connected to a
computer comprising a management system.
5. A storage device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to
4, characterized in that the storage device is provided with
cooling means with the aid of which the contents of the storage
device can be cooled.
6. A storage, device as claimed in claim 5, characterized
in that the cooling means are connected to the cooler of a milk
tank.
7. A storage device as claimed in any one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the storage device is provided
with a cleaning device with the aid of which the storage space
can be cleaned.
8. A storage device as claimed in claim 7, characterized
in that the cleaning device comprises a cleaning program with
the aid of which the storage space is cleaned periodically.
9. A storage device as claimed in any one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the storage device is provided
with weighing means with the aid of which at least part of the

5
contents of the storage space can be weighed and, if desired, be
represented on a display.
10. A storage device as claimed in any one of the preceding
claims, characterized in that the storage device comprises a
printer by means of which the data collected by the management
program can be printed.
11. A method of preventing that data relating to the
administration of means, such as e.g. medicines, to human beings
and/or animals get lost, in which method these means are stored
in a storage device and can be taken therefrom after an
individual user code has been input and/or read in into an input
device, which individual user code is subsequently registered
with the aid of registration means.
12. A method as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that
with the aid of the registration means there is recorded what
person or what animal is treated with a specific means.
13. A method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that
the registration means record the point of time at which the
means is taken from the storage space.
14. A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 13,
characterized in that the registration means record the quantity
of the means to be administered.
15. A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 14,
characterized in that the registration means are coupled to
dosing means for dosing a specific means and that, after the
quantity to be dosed has been input, the correct quantity can
automatically be taken from the storage device.
16. A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 15,
characterized in that the registration means are coupled to
signalling means which supply a signal as soon as the
registration means have ascertained that the stock of a specific
means has come below a previously adjusted quantity.
17. A method as claimed in any one of claims 11 to 16,
characterized in that, after there has been recorded with the
aid of the registration means what animal has been treated with
a specific means, via signalling means there is supplied a

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signal to an implement for treating an animal, such as e.g. a
milking robot or an automatic milking machine, whereupon the
relevant implement for treating an animal recognizes the
treatment to which the animal has been submitted and, on the
basis thereof, performs a procedure in which said treatment is
taken into account.
18. A method as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that
the procedure comprises the separation of the milk obtained,
possibly per udder quarter.
19. A method as claimed in claim 16 or 17, characterized in
that the procedure comprises the separation of the animal.
20. A method as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 19,
characterized in that the procedure comprises cleaning and/or
additional cleaping of parts of the animal, such as e.g. the
animal's teats, and/or cleaning and/or additional cleaning of a
milking implement with the aid of which the animal has been
milked.
21. An implement for automatically milking animals, such as
e.g. cows, comprising a milking robot for automatically
connecting teat cups to the animal to be milked, as well as a
storage device connected to said implement, as described in any
one of claims 1 to 10, which implement is adapted for applying
the method as described in any one of claims 11 to 20.

Description

CA 02320817 2000-08-03
WO 00/36568 PCT/NL99/00734
A STORAGE DEVICE FOR STORING E.G. MEDICINES
The invention relates to a storage device for storing e.g.
medicines, said device being provided with closing means for
preventing access to same.
Such a storage device is known.
The known storage device is provided with a lock that can be
opened by anyone who is in possession of the appropriate key.
The known storage device has the disadvantage that it is
1o impossible to check who had access to the storage device at what.
moment.
The invention aims at providing a storage device in whicm
the above-mentioned disadvantage does not occur or is at least
minimized.
In accordance with the invention this is achieved in than
the closing means are coupled to an input device into which am
individual user code is to be input and/or read in before the?
storage device can be opened, which device is further providedi
with registration means with the aid of which at least thca
individual user code is registered. Thus it is possible, on the'
basis of the individual user code that has been input or read
in, to check who has had access to the storage device. According
to an inventive feature, the registration means record the point
of time at which the storage device is opened. In this manner it
is possible to check who opened the storage device at what point
of time. According to an inventive feature, the input device
comprises a keyboard. With the aid of the keyboard the
individual user code can be input. According to again another
inventive feature, the input device is connected to a computer
3o comprising the management system. By means of the management
system it is possible to check, on the basis of the access codes
keyed in, what persons had access to the storage device at what
time.
For the purpose of keeping the contents of the storage
device in a cooled condition, according to an inventive feature
the storage device is provided with cooling means. Especially

CA 02320817 2000-08-03
WO 00/36568 PCT/NL99/00734
2
when the storage device is constituted by a device in which
means for a cattle farm can be kept, it is advantageous
according to the invention that the cooling means are connected
to the cooler of a milk tank. This renders an extra cooler for
the storage device superfluous. In order to store the means in
the storage device in a very hygienic manner, according toy
another inventive feature, said device is provided with a.~
cleaning device comprising a cleaning program with the aid of
which the storage space is cleaned periodically.
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, then
storage device is provided with means with the aid of which a;t
least part of the contents of the storage space can be weighed
and, if desired, be represented on a display. With the aid of
the weighing means it is possible to ascertain at any momemt
what quantity of a specific means is still present in tlize
storage device. With the aid of the weighing means it is further
possible to weigh out a specific quantity of the means.
According to another inventive feature, the storage device
comprises a printer by means of which the data collected by the;
management program can be printed.
The invention also relates to a method of preventing that
data relating to the administration of means, such as e.g.
medicines, to human beings and/or animals get lost, in which
method said means are stored in a storage device and can be
taken therefrom after an individual user code has been input
and/or read in into an input device, which individual user code
is subsequently registered with the aid of registration means.
According to an inventive feature, with the aid of the
registration means there is recorded what person or what animal
is treated with a specific means. Thus it is possible to produce
a treatment card for that person or animal. According to a
further inventive feature, the registration means record the
point of time at which the means is taken from the storage
space. According to again another inventive feature, the
registration means also record the quantity of the means to be
administered.

CA 02320817 2000-08-03
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3
In accordance with again another aspect of the invention,
the registration means are coupled to dosing means for dosing a
specific means, while, after the quantity to be dosed has been
input, the correct quantity can automatically be taken from the
storage space.
According to a further inventive feature, the registration
means are coupled to signalling means which supply a signal as
soon as the registration means have ascertained that the stock
of a specific means has come below a previously adjusted
to quantity.