TROLLEY FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF MEDICINES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a trolley for the distribution of medicines, in particular to a trolley that can be used in hospital settings by nursing staff in order to administer drug treatment to patients.

Background Art

Although the trolley of the present invention finds preferred, but not exclusive, application in hospital settings, the following description will explicitly refer to that area without, however, losing generality.

In the remainder of this description and in the subsequent claims, the term “medicine” means both a product and/or preparation having healing properties and medical devices meant as instruments used for diagnostic and/or therapeutic purposes. In the remainder of the text, different terms may be used which are to be regarded as synonyms such as, e.g., cure, drug, etc., without alteration of meaning or purpose. It should also be noted that the distribution of a medicine may be carried out by prior packaging within a blister pack, a box, a vial, a syringe or other similar container before being administered to a patient. Therefore, the term medicine may also comprise packaging.

Various technologies are known which are associated with trolleys for the safe distribution and administration of medicines to patients. In fact, errors in the administration of medicines to inpatients often result due to multiple factors such as, e.g., inconsistent nursing work (fatigue, stress, etc.), incorrect reading of the medical record and/or taking the wrong medicine from the trolley.

To partly overcome these problems, the Applicant has developed a trolley for the distribution of medicines, described in Patent Applications No. 102021000003341 and No. 102021000016235, provided with a main body that bounds within it a special area intended for the storage of drugs. These drugs are stored and distributed within special trays, thus avoiding the handling of the containers and/or blisters that usually have different shapes and sizes from drug to drug.

The trolley comprises a movement assembly provided with a shelf capable of receiving and supporting a tray. The movement assembly is configured to pick up, at the request of an operator, a tray containing a special medicine and to deliver it to the operator. The latter, in turn, will pick up from the tray the exact amount of medicine to be administered to a patient, placing the leftover medicine back in the trolley.

Another key aspect relates to the fact that this trolley is configured to interface with a special storage cabinet, described in Patent Application No. 102021000003374 filed on behalf of the Applicant, in order to receive medicines to be distributed in the hospital ward.

The cabinet is provided with a central control unit in signal communication with a central healthcare ICT architecture of the hospital. This central control unit allows monitoring and tracking of the medicines stored and delivered to the trolley.

In addition, in turn, the trolley is provided with a processor configured to store the medicines stored within it and to keep track of those supplied to the operator to be administered to the patients.

The trolley processor is connected to the central healthcare ICT architecture of the hospital so that information about the drugs, their location and administration, is always available and monitored by the processor and by the central unit.

Such known solutions, although they enable hospital staff to easily and correctly pick up the drug to be administered, are nevertheless susceptible to a variety of improvements in order to minimize the operator error even in the later stage of drug distribution to patients.

In fact, although the known trolleys have a high degree of automation in the medicine storage and dispensing operations, the tasks following medicine pickup are still subject to possible staff error. In fact, since the medicines picked up by the operator are generally grouped inside boxes or, in the case of liquid medicines, contained in special bottles, the operator must necessarily open the box, which usually contains a larger amount of drugs than necessary, pick up the necessary amount of medicine to be administered to the patient, close the box and place it back in the trolley. Finally, the operator must record such amount of medicine left in the box in order to update the number of drugs stored.

During such operations, the operator may make mistakes, such as picking up the wrong amount of drugs or incorrectly counting the remaining amount, which may result in incorrect administration of the drugs to the patient and incorrect tracking and monitoring of the drugs.

Description of the Invention

In order to solve the problems described above, the Applicant devised making a trolley provided with a sensing device, conveniently and easily accessible to the operator, which allows assisting the latter in administering drugs to the patient and tracking the medicines administered.

One object of the present invention is therefore to provide a solution which allows reducing the operator errors in administering medicine to the patients.

An additional object of the present invention is to be able to monitor and keep track of the medicines administered to the patients and stored in the trolley.

A further object of the present invention is to be able to manage in an optimized manner the stock and orders of medicines stored in the trolley and hospital warehouse.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a trolley that can overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art within the framework of a simple, rational, easily and effectively deployed as well as affordable solution.

The aforementioned objects are achieved by this trolley having the characteristics of claim 1.

Still another object of the present invention is to make a device having the characteristics of claim 11.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a trolley, illustrated by way of an indicative, yet non-limiting example, in the attached tables of drawings wherein: Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of two versions of the trolley in accordance with the present invention,

Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detailed views of different embodiments of the trolley sensing device in Figures 1 and 2.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a trolley for the distribution of medicines.

The trolley 1 comprises a body 2 which bounds a storage compartment 3 for the storage of a plurality of medicines. The body 2 is defined as a whole by four side walls (one front wall 2a, one rear wall 2b and two side walls 2c, 2d), one base 2e and one upper or work surface 2f.

In the context of this disclosure, the terms “upper” and “lower”, “front”, “rear”, “vertical” and “horizontal”, as used with reference to the trolley 1, shall be meant to refer to the conditions under which the trolley 1 is normally used, i.e., those wherein it is employed by a user and is placed resting on the ground.

The trolley 1 comprises at least one wheel 4 associated with the body 2 in order to move the trolley 1 along at least one direction of forward movement. Specifically, the base 2e of the trolley 1 is associated with four swiveling wheels 4 arranged substantially at the point where the vertices of the base 2e are located. Alternative embodiments cannot, however, be ruled out wherein a pair of wheels 4 may have a fixed-type orientation, e.g., with only the pair of front wheels swiveling or otherwise only the rear ones.

In addition, the trolley 1 is provided with a handlebar 5 that can be gripped by an operator to guide and displace the trolley 1. Preferably, the handlebar 5 is attached where the rear wall 2b is located.

As can be seen from Figure 1 , the trolley 1 comprises an inlet area of a medicine into the trolley 1 and an outlet area of the medicine from the trolley 1.

According to one embodiment, the trolley 1 is provided with a movement assembly, not shown in the figures, quite similar to what is covered by Italian Patent Application No. 102021000003341 in the name of the same Applicant whose description is incorporated herein by reference. According to one embodiment, the trolley 1 is provided with a movement assembly, not shown in the figures, quite similar to what is covered by Italian Patent Application No. 102021000016235 in the name of the same Applicant whose description is incorporated herein by reference. The movement assembly is arranged at least partly within the storage compartment 3 and configured to move the medicine between the inlet area and the outlet area. For this purpose, the trolley 1 may comprise a tray configured to receive and contain the medicines. The movement assembly is provided with at least one shelf adapted to receive and support the tray. The use of a movement assembly configured to move a specific type of tray allows the distribution of drugs to be controlled indirectly, thus avoiding the handling of the containers and/or blister packs that usually have different shapes and sizes from drug to drug.

Further embodiments wherein the shelf is configured to move medicines directly cannot however be ruled out.

Additionally, the trolley 1 has at least one storage area for storing the tray before it is picked up by the movement assembly to move it towards the outlet area.

Preferably, the trolley 1 comprises a plurality of storage areas to store a large number of trays within the trolley 1, so that nursing staff can treat a large number of patients during the same ward route.

For this purpose, the trolley 1 comprises at least one supporting structure arranged internally within the storage compartment 3 and provided with at least one supporting element arranged at a storage area and adapted to receive and support a tray and/or a medicine.

To summarize, the tray is placed at the point where the inlet area is located, such as e.g. by a cabinet or operator, by inserting it into the trolley 1 through an access opening. At this point, the movement assembly moves the tray towards the storage point to store it in the storage compartment 3. When an operator needs to pick up the medicine contained in the tray, the movement assembly is activated, e.g. by processing means, to pick up the tray from the storage area and to move it towards the outlet area, thus allowing the operators to pick up the medicines and distribute them to the patients.

Additionally, the movement assembly is also configured to move the shelf towards an unloading area wherein the shelf is configured to interface with a storage cabinet, e.g., the cabinet covered by Italian Patent Application No. 102021000003374 in the name of the same Applicant whose description is incorporated herein by reference. Such an operation is usually necessary in order to remove empty trays from the trolley 1 or to store in the trolley 1 only those trays that are to be transported to the hospital ward. Preferably, the unloading area coincides with the inlet area.

Appropriately, the trolley 1 comprises at least one outlet opening arranged where the outlet area is located and configured to allow the drug to escape from the storage compartment 3. In the present case, the outlet opening is cut out on the work surface 2f or where the latter is located.

It cannot, however, be ruled out that the outlet area, and thus the outlet opening, can be arranged where a different wall is located, such as e.g. the first side wall 2c in order to increase the flexibility of the trolley 1.

Specifically, the outlet opening is made through to allow the exchange of the tray, or of a medicine, between the shelf/tray and/or the movement assembly and the user.

Advantageously, the inlet area is arranged where one of the side walls 2c, 2d is located and at a predefined height above the ground to allow interfacing the trolley 1 with one or more cabinets for the storage and movement of medicines. Specifically, the inlet area is arranged where only one of the side walls 2c, 2d of the trolley 1 is located, preferably the second side wall 2d. The possibility cannot however be ruled out that the inlet opening be cut out on another wall of the trolley 1, e.g. the opposite wall.

Appropriately, the trolley 1 comprises an access opening positioned where the inlet area is located to allow for the exit/entry of the medicine into/from the storage compartment 3. Through the access opening, the trolley 1 can interface with the storage cabinet to receive and/or to supply the trays from/to the cabinet. The access opening is made through to allow the exchange of the tray or of the medicine between the movement assembly and the cabinet.

The cabinet is provided with a single opening cut out on its front wall and intended for the passage of one medicine holder tray at a time. For this purpose, the cabinet is provided with a manipulator configured to transfer the trays. The manipulator operates by shifting towards the trolley 1 and extending beyond the front wall of the cabinet to pass at least partly through both the cabinet opening and the access opening of the trolley 1. Once the tray has at least partly entered the trolley 1, the manipulator releases the tray onto an appropriate stand to be picked up by appropriate interfacing means of the trolley 1 that take the tray over for subsequent storage within the trolley 1.

Usefully, the access opening of the trolley 1 and the opening of the cabinet are arranged at the same height above the ground to allow the trays to be transferred from the cabinet to the trolley 1 , and/or vice versa.

Advantageously, the trolley 1 is provided with processing means (not shown) configured to control the operation of the trolley 1 in an at least partly automated manner.

Appropriately, the processing means are in signal connection with the movement assembly to control the operation thereof.

In addition, the processing means may be connected to a central healthcare ICT architecture of the hospital, e.g. by means of a software architecture owned by the Applicant that communicates with the central ICT architecture. In this way, information about medicines, their location and their administration is always available and monitored by the processing means and/or by the central unit.

The aforementioned signals can be continuously monitored by the processing means and/or by the central healthcare ICT architecture of the hospital to carry out a smart check of all medicine and tray tracking operations both within the hospital and within the trolley 1 and the cabinet.

Preferably, the processing means are usable by an operator by means of an appropriate interface connected thereto (e.g., a display, a smart phone, a tablet, etc.). For this purpose, the interface is configured to generate one or more signals to be sent to the processing means. For example, the operator can enter the drug data independently into the trolley 1 via the display or directly with his or her smart phone, tablet and/or a PC. In this manner, the trolley 1 can operate as a drug dispenser (i.e., in the so-called “dispensing” mode) to allow an operator to select, as needed, the drug to be picked and to dispense it. For example, the display can show the drugs contained in the trolley 1 and, by means of an electronic keypad or a touch screen, can allow the operator to select which of the illustrated drugs he or she wants to take.

Advantageously, the trolley 1 comprises at least one sensing device 8 associated with the work surface 2f, thus resulting in easy reach of an operator. The sensing device 8 is arranged where the work surface 2f is located. As can be seen from the figures, the sensing device 8 is placed above the work surface 2f. In addition, the sensing device 8 is built in the work surface 2f, i.e., the sensing device 8 is mounted integral to the trolley 1 where the work surface 2f is located.

The sensing device 8 is configured to receive a fair amount of at least one medicine. The fair amount of at least one medicine comprises one or more single parts. The sensing device 8 is configured to sense the number of single parts of the fair amount.

The term “fair amount” is intended to refer to a set of one or more medicines that can be split into one or more single parts. For example, in the event of the medicine being a solid type, that is, in the form of pills contained, e.g., in a container, the fair amount of one or more medicines may refer to a plurality of pills taken from the container. In such a case, the term “single parts” refers to the individual pills. In another example, where the medicine is of the liquid type and is contained in special bottles from which it is picked up by means of a specific dispenser capable of dividing it into drops, the term “single parts” may refer to the medicine drops into which the liquid picked up is divided.

As visible from Figure 1, the sensing device 8 is provided with at least one passage portion 9 for the passage of at least one single part of the at least one medicine.

For this purpose, the passage portion 9 has at least one inlet 10 for the entry of a single part of the at least one medicine and an outlet 11 for the exit of the single part of the at least one medicine.

In the present case, the passage portion 9 has a cavity 13 for the passage of a single part of the at least one medicine. In addition, the passage portion 9 has an inlet opening 10a arranged at the inlet 10 and an outlet opening I la arranged at the outlet 11. The inlet and outlet openings communicate with the cavity 13 to allow at least one of the single parts to entry into and exit the passage portion 9. It cannot however be ruled out that the cavity 13 may be blind, i.e., lacking the outlet 11, and the inserted medicines escape from the inlet 10.

Appropriately, the passage portion 9 has a substantially circular cross-section. In addition, the passage portion 9 extends between the inlet 10 and the outlet 11 along a substantially straight direction, preferably substantially vertical.

Similarly, both the inlet opening 10a and the outlet opening I la also has a substantially circular profile. Preferably, the outlet opening I la has a smaller radius than the inlet opening 10a.

It cannot, however, be ruled out that the passage portion 9, the inlet opening 10a and/or the outlet opening I la may have different conformations.

Advantageously, the sensing device 8 comprises acquisition means 12 substantially arranged at the passage portion 9 and configured to identify a luminous variation when a single part of the medicine passes by, thus generating a corresponding electrical identification signal.

In accordance with one embodiment, the acquisition means 12 may comprise generic sensors, e.g., mechanical, acoustic, vibration, etc., configured to sense the passage of a single part of the medicine, thus generating a corresponding electrical identification signal.

In addition, the sensing device 8 is provided with a processing unit 6 in signal communication with the acquisition means 12 to receive the identification signal in order to count the number of times a single part of the medicine passes through the passage portion 9. Such processing unit 6 may coincide with the processing means of the trolley 1 or be separate from the latter. In the case where the processing unit 6 is separate from the processing means, the processing unit 6 is, preferably, in signal communication with the processing means of the trolley.

In actual fact, the processing unit 6 is in signal communication with the processing means directly and/or indirectly.

In the case of direct connection, the processing unit 6 is connected to the processing means via hardware (cable, fiber optics, etc.) or over the air, thus through the use of appropriate wireless transmissions (radio, Bluetooth, Wi-fi, etc.).

In the case of indirect connection, the processing unit 6 is connected to the processing means of the trolley via a network connection, such as e.g. an Internet network, a local network or Local Area Network (LAN) and a Wide Area Network (WAN).

In a further version, the processing unit 6 of the sensing device 8 can also be connected directly to the central healthcare ICT architecture of the hospital.

For medicine counting, the operator, once a fair amount of a medicine has been picked up, can place the single parts of the latter into the passage portion 9. The single parts of the medicine are intercepted by the acquisition means 12 which, by generating a corresponding identification signal, allow the processing unit to count them. Finally, the single parts exit through the outlet 11 and are picked up by the operator who will administer them to the patient.

Preferably, the acquisition means 12 are of the type of an electronic device such as, e.g., an infrared sensor, a proximity sensor, a distance sensor, a photocell, an optical sensor and/or the like, adapted to sense the passage of an element.

Even more preferably, the acquisition means 12 are an optical sensor of the combined emitter/receiver type configured to emit and receive light radiation along at least one optical path.

The Applicant noted that, advantageously, such acquisition means are capable of sensing the passage of both solid- and liquid-type medicines.

As shown in Figure 2, the acquisition means 12 comprise at least one emitter 14 of light radiation and at least one receiver 15 which is adapted to receive such light radiation. Conveniently, the acquisition means 12 are configured to sense a change in the light radiation received by the receiver 15 and to output a corresponding identification signal.

Preferably, the receiver 15 is arranged facing the emitter 14. It cannot however be ruled out that the emitter 14 and the receiver 15 are not arranged facing each other and reflective elements are provided that can direct the radiation emitted by the emitter 14 towards the receiver 15.

Preferably, the emitter 14 is adapted to emit a radiation along a substantially linear optical path. The receiver 15 is arranged along such an optical path to receive the light radiation.

It cannot, however, be ruled out that the emitter 14 may be configured to emit radiation along a different optical path, e.g. a circular one.

The emitter 14 and the receiver 15 are arranged so that the optical path extends transversely to the passage portion 9. Preferably, the emitter 14 and the receiver 15 are opposite with respect to the passage portion 9. Even more preferably, the emitter 14 and the receiver 15 are arranged opposite each other in a radial pattern.

Appropriately, the sensing device 8 is built in the trolley 1. Specifically, the sensing device 8 is built in the work surface 2f of the body 2. Thus, the sensing device 8 is therefore locked together to the trolley 1 , resulting in an integral part of the latter. The body 2 of the trolley, particularly the work surface 2f, has special housings wherein the sensing device 8 is at least partly mounted. In addition, the sensing device 8 is operationally connected to the processing unit of the trolley 1 in order to dialogue with the latter, thus being able to provide indications of the amounts of medicines taken by the operator.

For this purpose, the body 2 comprises a housing portion 17 for the sensing device 8 arranged at the work surface 2f. The passage portion 9 is cut out on the housing portion 17 and the acquisition means 12 are mounted on the housing portion 17 at the passage portion 9.

In this case, the housing portion 17 is attached to the work surface 2f. Preferably, the housing portion 17 is locked together with the work surface 2f. Even more preferably, the housing portion 17 is made in a single body piece with the work surface 2f.

Specifically, the housing portion 17 comprises an upper surface 18, wherein the inlet 10 is obtained, and a lower surface 19 wherein the outlet 11 is obtained. The upper surface 18 and the lower one are opposite each other along a vertical direction. The cavity 13 of the housing portion 17 extends between the upper surface 18 and the lower surface 19.

Appropriately, the housing portion 17 defines at least one seat 20 adapted to receive and house a glass G. The seat 20 faces the outlet 11 of the passage portion 9 so that the glass G may receive the single parts at outlet. In the present case, the seat 20 is arranged to receive the glass G and place it under the outlet 11.

Preferably, the seat 20 has a compartment where the glass G can be inserted.

It cannot however be ruled out that the housing portion 17 is deprived of the seat 20 and the glass G is arranged to rest directly on the work surface 2f.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the seat 20 has at least one resting surface 21 wherein the glass G is positionable in support. The resting surface 21 is arranged below the outlet 11 of the passage portion 9.

Conveniently, the seat 20 has centering means 22 adapted to receive the glass G to arrange it aligned with the outlet 11 of the passage portion 9.

Preferably, the centering means 22 have at least one depression 23 formed on the resting surface 21 and arranged below the outlet opening I la. The depression 23 is adapted to receive at least one bottom portion of the glass G to arrange the latter aligned with the outlet 11 of the passage portion 9.

For this purpose, the depression 23 is bounded by a lateral edge 24 that has a profile substantially complementary to the bottom portion of the glass G. In actual facts, the depression 23 has a substantially circular lateral edge.

In addition, preferably, the depression 23 is interrupted along the lateral edge 24 that allows the insertion of the glass G into the depression 23. In other words, the lateral edge 24 of the depression 23 has a substantially “C” profile.

According to one or more versions shown in Figure 1, the housing portion 17 is provided with a shelf element 26 with which the sensing device 8 is associated. The shelf element 26 is arranged above the work surface 2f. In addition, the shelf element 26 is detached from the work surface 2f to define, with the latter, the seat 20.

In the present case, the shelf element 26 has a substantially slab-like conformation wherein an upper surface 18 and a lower surface 19 are identified as substantially flat.

In addition, the shelf element 26 is connected to the body 2 by means of a connecting element 27. More specifically, the connecting element 27 is locked together to the body 2. Even more specifically, the connecting element 27 is locked together to the work surface 2f.

As anticipated above, the connecting element 27 and the shelf element 26 are made in a single body piece with the body 2, specifically with the work surface 2f.

Preferably, the shelf element 26 is arranged substantially parallel to the work surface 2f, i.e., substantially horizontally. On the other hand, the connecting element 27 is arranged substantially transverse to the work surface 2f, i.e., substantially vertically.

In the present case, the shelf element 26 protrudes cantilevered from the connecting element 27 and extends transversely to the latter.

As shown in Figure 1, preferably, the shelf element 26 has an inverted “L” shape in plan, wherein the first longer section extends substantially parallel to the work surface 2f between the rear wall 2b and the front wall 2a of the body 2, and the second shorter section extends perpendicular to the first section and parallel to the work surface 2f. Usefully, the sensing device 8 is associated with and/or built in the second section of the shelf element 26, preferably at one end thereof. Substantially, the surface 18 of the sensing device 8 is at least partly corresponding to, or may be an extension of, the second section of the shelf element 26.

The first section of the shelf element 26 has a width which is less than the width of the work surface 2f. Specifically, the width of the first section is of between 5% and 50% of the width of the work surface 2f. Preferably, the width of the first section is of between 5% and 20% of the width of the work surface 2f.

The second section of the shelf element 26 extends from the first section by a length of between 5% and 50% of the width of the work surface 2f. Preferably, the length of the second section is of between 5% and 25% of the width of the work surface 2f.

According to one or more versions shown in Figure 2, the housing portion 17 comprises a housing body 28 associated with the work surface 2f. More specifically, the housing body 28 is arranged above the work surface 2f. Even more particularly, the housing body 28 is connected to the work surface 2f. Preferably, the housing body 28 is locked together with the work surface 2f. Even more preferably, the housing body 28 is made in a single body piece with the work surface 2f.

The housing body 28 has a compartment defining the seat 20. In addition, the passage portion 9 is arranged in the housing body 28 by setting the outlet opening 1 la in communication with the compartment.

As anticipated above, the trolley 1 comprises a processing unit 6 in signal communication with the acquisition means 12.

In addition, the processing unit 6 can receive, e.g. by means of an interface 7, at least one piece of identification data of the drug picked up, to be picked up and/or received by the sensing device 8.

Preferably, the processing unit 6 can receive at input the number of single parts of the at least one medicine to be taken by the operator. The processing unit 6 can then generate a stop signal that will indicate to the operator that the correct number of single parts to be administered to the patient has been reached.

In actual facts, before administering the medicine to the patient, the operator reads the medical record containing information about the patient (e.g., the type and amount of medicine to be taken) and, based on the latter, enters by means of the interface 7 the indicative data of the medicine to be picked up and the relevant amount. At this point, the operator picks up a fair amount of that medicine and inserts the single parts into the sensing device 8. When the number of single parts to be administered to the patient has been reached, the processing unit generates a stop signal as a result of which the operator finishes inserting the single parts and picks up those exited from the outlet 11 of the sensing device 8 to administer them to the patient.

In one or more versions, the medical record can be of digital type so that the processing unit 6 can automatically receive the data about the patient to be treated and then independently provide the medicine to the operator.

In addition, in this way, by means of the interface it is possible to indicate to the operator the number of medicines to be taken in order to provide them to the patient.

According to one or more versions, the processing unit 6 and/or the processing means are configured to monitor, record and/or keep track of the medicines stored in the trolley 1 and/or of the medicines picked up by the operator. For this purpose, the processing unit 6 and/or the processing means comprise a database adapted to store the identifying data of the stored medicines and/or of the picked up ones. As anticipated above, such identifying data may be provided by means of an appropriate interface 7 connected to the processing unit 6. For this purpose, the interface 7 is configured to generate one or more signals to be sent to the processing unit 6, such as e.g. a signal representative of the indicative data of at least one medicine stored in the trolley 1.

Such data can be used by the processing means to control the movement assembly in order to provide the exact medicine to the operator.

Additionally, the database is also adapted to store the data of the operator who picks up the medicines and of the patient to whom those medicines picked up are administered.

Usefully, the processing unit 6 is configured to subtract the fair amount of medicines counted by the sensing device 8 from the amount stored in the database, thus automatically keeping track of which and how many medicines are stored in the trolley 1.

In one version, prior to administering and/or counting the medicine, it is possible to acquire information about the medicine being administered by prior reading of the bar code, RFID and/or the like, and also to acquire information of the badge of the operator in charge of administration by means of a reading device appropriately provided in the trolley.

Preferably, the processing unit 6 is of the type of an electronic device such as e.g. a PLC, microcontroller, PC and/or the like.

In addition, the processing unit 6 may comprise at least one piece of software out of: enterprise resource planning (“ERP”) software, electronic health record (“HER”) software, data recording software, data analysis software, machine learning software or artificial intelligence software.

As anticipated above, the trolley 1 comprises one interface 7 configured to interface with the operator. The interface 7 is in signal communication with at least one of either the processing unit 6 or the sensing device 8. Preferably, the interface 7 is operationally connected to at least one of either the processing unit 6 or the sensing device 8 by means of at least one of a wired or wireless connection, a network, infrared or Bluetooth infrastructure and/or the like.

The interface is adapted to receive at least one of:

- the number of single parts of at least one drug to be picked up from the trolley 1, and/or

- the identifying data of at least one medicine to be picked up from the trolley 1. In other words, the interface 7 is configured to receive the identifying data of the drug to be picked up so that it can record which medicines are picked up by the operator. In addition, if it is necessary to pick up only a certain amount of that medicine, the operator can enter, by means of the interface 7, the number of single parts of the medicine to be picked up.

In addition, the interface 7 is configured to allow an operator to view the count carried out by the sensing device 8.

For this purpose, the interface 7 may comprise at least one audio/video playback device.

As anticipated above, preferably, the interface 7 is of the type of an electronic interfacing device, such as e.g. a PC, tablet, display and/or the like.

Conveniently, the trolley 1 comprises a sound signal generator 29 operatively connected to the sensing device. The sound signal generator is configured to generate a sound signal upon each sensing operation by the acquisition means 12 of a passage of a single part.

In other words, the sound signal generator 29 receives at input the identification signal from the acquisition means 12 and generates at output a sound signal indicating the successful passage of a single part in the passage portion.

In addition, the sound signal generator 29 is operationally connected to the processing unit 6 to receive from the latter the total number of single parts to be counted and to generate a sound signal when that number is reached.

The sound signal generator 29 can also be configured to emit a sound signal at a variable frequency, thus increasing this frequency as the total number of single parts to be picked up is gradually reached.

As shown in Figure 1 , the trolley 1 may comprise audio and/or video acquisition means 30. The audio and/or video acquisition means 30 are provided with at least one video acquisition apparatus, such as e.g. a camera, webcam and the like, and/or at least one audio acquisition apparatus, such as a microphone. Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out of the audio and/or video acquisition means 30 wherein the video acquisition apparatus and the audio acquisition apparatus are made in a single electronic device configured for audio and video acquisition.

Usefully, the camera 30 can be provided with a sensor, preferably an optical sensor, configured to sense, record and/or count drugs to be administered to a patient, or to automatically keep track of the picking up or storage of a drug from/into the trolley 1.

In one or more versions, the camera 30 is configured to record the activity carried out by the staff, such as e.g. the preparation and administration of treatment by nursing staff, for possible analysis and/or investigation. In other words, the camera 30 performs continuous recording, and thus monitoring, of the activities carried out by the staff in order to verify their actual and regular performance.

In one or more versions, the camera 30 is oriented to frame downwards, in the direction of the work surface 2f, in order not to frame the people’s faces to maintain the privacy thereof.

According to one embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 and 4, the sensing device 8 is provided with at least one funnel-shaped element 31 associable with the passage portion 9 in a removable manner. The funnel-shaped element 31 is adapted to convey the medicines into the inlet of the passage portion 9, preventing these from touching the walls of the passage portion 9. In the present case, the funnel-shaped element 31 is associable with the inlet opening 10a of the passage portion 9.

This expedient makes it possible to reduce possible contamination of the medicines to be administered to the patients.

Because the funnel-shaped element 31 is associable in a removable manner with the passage portion 9, it can be removed at each use so that it can be washed, sanitized or replaced with a new funnel-shaped element 31, thus avoiding contamination of the drugs between one preparation and the next.

For this purpose, preferably, the sensing device 8 has a plurality of funnel- shaped elements which are interchangeable with each other.

In detail, the funnel-shaped element 31 has a substantially conical or truncated cone shape wherein at least one minor base 31a and one major base 31b can be identified. The minor base 31a has smaller dimensions than the major base 31b. Preferably, each base 31a, 31b has a substantially circular cross section. The minor base 31a has a smaller radius than the radius of the major base 31b. It cannot however be ruled out that the minor base 31a and/or the major base 31b have a differently shaped section, such as e.g. square.

The funnel-shaped element 31 has a through cavity extending between the major base 31b and the minor base 31a. The through cavity is adapted to convey the medicines, preferably one at a time, towards the passage portion 9.

Usefully, the minor base 31a has a conformation substantially complementary to the inlet opening 10a of the passage portion 9. Thus, the funnel-shaped element 31 is associable with the passage portion by placing the minor base 31a at the inlet opening 10a to set the passage portion 9 in communication with the through cavity. According to one or more versions such as, e.g., the one illustrated in Figure 5, the trolley 1 comprises a glass G having at least one portion which is substantially transparent to the acquisition means 12. In other words, the glass G has at least one portion which, when placed between the emitter 14 and the receiver 15 of the acquisition means 12, can be traversed by the light radiation emitted by the emitter 14 so that it reaches the receiver 15. Ultimately, the main body is at least partly transparent. As illustrated, the glass G has a hollow main body, a bottom and an inlet opening to the main body bounded by an edge. Preferably, the edge has a circular sector outside the main body in a radial pattern, as will be seen below, to abut against the stop surface 32 and to be retained when inserted into the passage portion 9. Usefully, the edge and the main body have a substantially circular section. The edge has a larger radius than the radius of the main body.

Preferably, the transparent portion is placed between a bottom portion and an upper portion of the glass G.

In addition, the passage portion 9 is configured to receive at least part of the glass G in order to arrange the transparent portion at the point where the acquisition means 12 are located.

Once the glass G is inserted into the passage portion 9, the operator can place the single parts of the fair amount of medicine to be counted into the glass G, preferably one at a time. As the single parts fall towards the bottom of the glass G, they are sensed by the acquisition means 12 which allow the sensing device to count them. Next, the operator can take the glass G out of the passage portion 9 and hand it directly to the patient.

This expedient makes it possible to simplify the dispensing and counting operations of the medicines. In addition, by directly using the glass intended for dispensing the medicines, possible contamination of the medicines during such operations can be drastically reduced or eliminated.

In such a version, the passage portion 9 can be devoid of an outlet 11. In fact, the medicines are inserted directly into the glass G and exit with the latter from the inlet 10. Preferably, the trolley 1 comprises a plurality of glasses G.

In accordance with the embodiment in Figure 6, the passage portion 9 has a frontal opening 25 cut out into the front surface of the housing portion 17. The opening 25 is configured to allow the insertion of the glass G into the passage portion 9. In practice, the passage portion 9 has, in cross-section, a substantially “C”-shaped conformation for housing and retaining the glass.

As visible in Figure 6, the passage portion 9 has a stop surface 32 positioned at the point where the inlet 10 is located. The stop surface 32 is adapted to abut against the edge of the glass and/or of the funnel-shaped element 31 to block it. In particular, the stop surface 32 at least partly surrounds the inlet opening 10a. In other words, the stop surface 32 has a substantially disc-shaped conformation wherein an inner radius and an outer radius are identified. The inner radius is substantially coincident with the radius of the inlet opening 10a. In contrast, the outer radius is greater than the radius of the inlet opening 10a.

In detail, the upper surface 18 of the housing portion 17 has a depression at the inlet opening 10a that defines the stop surface 32.

In one or more of the versions observed in Figure 4, the stop surface 32 has a conformation substantially complementary to the minor base 31a of the funnel- shaped element 31. In particular, the size of the stop surface 32 is such that it blocks the minor base of the funnel-shaped element 31 when arranged at the point where the passage portion 9 is located. In the present case, the inner radius of the stop surface 32 is smaller than the radius of the minor base of the funnel-shaped element 31. Thus, the funnel-shaped element 31 can be placed above the passage portion 9 by resting the minor base on the stop surface 32.

In one or more of the versions observable in Figure 5, the size of the stop surface 32 is such as to allow the main body of the glass G to pass through the aperture in the passage portion 9 and block in and stop the edge of the glass G. In particular, the inner radius of the stop surface 32 is just smaller than the radius of the bottom portion of the glass G and just larger than the radius of the top portion of the glass G. This expedient allows the glass to be inserted only partly into the passage portion 9, blocking it inside the latter so that the transparent portion is positioned between the emitter 14 and the receiver 15 of the acquisition means 12.

Advantageously, the passage portion 9 is conformed so that it can be coupled to both the funnel-shaped element and the glass G. To this end, the minor base 31a of the funnel-shaped element 31 has a conformation substantially similar to the edge of the glass G. In particular, the radius of the minor base 31a is substantially equal to the radius of the edge of the glass G.

As a result, the stop surface 32 has substantially complementary dimensions to those of the minor base 31a of the funnel-shaped element 31 and of the edge of the glass G.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects, and in particular, the fact is emphasized that the trolley for the distribution of medicines according to the invention makes it possible to reduce the operator’s errors in administering medicines to patients while keeping track of the amount of medicine administered (down to the unit dose) to the patients and stored in the trolley.