NZ793001A - A device for storing elements - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a device (22) for storing elements (12), each element (12) comprising a first wireless communication unit, the device (22) comprising at least one drawer block (30) comprising: - a drawer comprising a bottom defining at least one slot for receiving an element (12), - for each slot, a second wireless communication unit able to transmit radiofrequency waves and adapted for communicating with the whole of the first communication units, the bottom of the drawer being formed with a material able to be crossed by radiofrequency waves transmitted by each second communication unit, each second communication unit being positioned below the bottom of the drawer facing the corresponding slot so as to allow communication between said second communication unit and the first communication unit of an element (12) received in said slot. cond wireless communication unit able to transmit radiofrequency waves and adapted for communicating with the whole of the first communication units, the bottom of the drawer being formed with a material able to be crossed by radiofrequency waves transmitted by each second communication unit, each second communication unit being positioned below the bottom of the drawer facing the corresponding slot so as to allow communication between said second communication unit and the first communication unit of an element (12) received in said slot.

Description

Disclosed is a device (22) for storing elements (12), each element (12) comprising a first wireless communication unit, the device (22) comprising at least one drawer block (30) comprising: - a drawer sing a bottom defining at least one slot for receiving an element (12), - for each slot, a second wireless ication unit able to transmit radiofrequency waves and adapted for communicating with the whole of the first communication units, the bottom of the drawer being formed with a material able to be crossed by radiofrequency waves transmitted by each second communication unit, each second communication unit being positioned below the bottom of the drawer facing the ponding slot so as to allow communication between said second communication unit and the first communication unit of an element (12) received in said slot.

NZ 793001 A device for storing elements The entire content of the complete specification of each of New Zealand Patent Application No. 736011, New Zealand Patent Application No. 760429 and New Zealand Patent Application No. 780848, as originally filed, is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE ION The present invention relates to a device for storing elements.

The present invention also relates to an installation comprising such a device for storing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There already exists devices for storing elements in various fields. The elements are for example bags containing biological ts, such as blood products (bags of primary blood, of plasma, of ets, of red blood cells…) or cell engineering products (cells, stem cells…), or further drug bags such as chemotherapy bags.

It is known to store such bags in refrigerating structures formed of drawers in which the bags are inserted. The bags inserted into such structures generally comprise an identification tag, such as an RFID (radio frequency identification) tag , in which are stored in memory pieces of information relative to the corresponding bag. Furthermore, a reader, such as an RFID reader, is positioned facing the intended location of the bags of each drawer in order to read and update the information ned in the tags of said bags.

However, when the tags of the bags are not directly oned facing the reader in the drawer, the reading of the information ned in the tag of said bags may not be carried out.

Y OF THE INVENTION There is a need for a device for storing elements giving the possibility of lling the ion of said elements in a reliable way without congesting the e space.

Alternatively or additionally, there is a need to at least provide the public with a useful .

A first aspect of the present invention provides a device configured to store a plurality of elements, each element including a wireless communication device, the device comprising: a plurality of drawer assemblies, each drawer assembly comprising an upper end and a lower end, a t comprising a g and an ly member with a respective complementary assembly member of the lower end or the upper end of the support of another of the drawer assemblies, so that the drawer assemblies are configured to be assembled on each other to form a vertical stack, a drawer positioned in the housing of the support and slidable relative to the support, the drawer comprising a bottom defining a plurality of slots configured to receive an element, for each slot, a single transmitter dedicated to the slot and configured to transmit radio frequency waves, the single transmitter being configured to icate with all of the wireless communication devices, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made of a al configured to be traversed by radiofrequency waves emitted by the or each single itter, and wherein the or each single transmitter is ed under the bottom of the drawer facing the corresponding slot of the bottom of the drawer in order to allow communication n the single transmitter and the wireless communication device of one of the elements received in the slot.

The bottom of the drawer may be made of plastic.

The elements may be containers of biological products, drugs or therapeutic preparations.

Each wireless communication device may be a radio identification tag, and each single transmitter may be a radio identification reader.

Each single transmitter may be secured to the support of the corresponding drawer ly. Alternatively, each single transmitter may be secured to the drawer of the corresponding drawer assembly.

Each wireless communication device may comprise information ve to the respective element, wherein each single transmitter may be, when it is appropriate, configured to communicate with the wireless communication device of the element received in the slot opposite the single transmitter to obtain information relative to the element when it is appropriate for the respective single itter to communicate with the wireless communication device, and the device may further comprise a processor connected to each single transmitter, the processor being configured to determine, from the icated information, an occupation of each slot and, when it is appropriate, a state of the element received in the slot, the processor being configured to r an alarm according to the occupation of each slot and, when it is appropriate, the state of the t corresponding to the slot.

A further aspect of the present ion provides an installation ccomprising: an enclosure comprising an internal compartment; and the device according to the first aspect of the t invention, the device being disposed in the internal compartment of the enclosure.

The enclosure may be a refrigerating ure.

The elements may be platelet containers, and the enclosure may be a platelet stirrer.

A still further aspect of the present ion provides a device configured to store a plurality of elements, each element including a wireless communication device, the device comprising: a plurality of drawer assemblies, each drawer ly comprising a support comprising a housing, a drawer oned in the housing of the support and slidable relative to the support, the drawer sing a bottom defining a plurality of slots configured to receive an element, for each slot, at least one transmitter dedicated to the slot and configured to transmit radio frequency waves, the at least one transmitter being configured to communicate with all of the wireless communication devices, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made of a material configured to be traversed by radiofrequency waves emitted by the or each transmitter, wherein the or each transmitter is disposed under the bottom of the drawer facing the corresponding slot of the bottom of the drawer in order to allow communication between the at least one transmitter and the wireless ication device of one of the elements received in the slot, and wherein each transmitter is secured to the drawer of the corresponding drawer assembly.

Disclosed herein is a device for storing elements, each t comprising a first wireless communication unit, the device comprising at least one drawer block, each drawer block comprising: - a support comprising a g, - a drawer positioned in the housing of the support and able to slide relatively to the support, the drawer comprising a bottom defining at least one slot for receiving an element, - for each slot, at least one second wireless communication unit able to transmit radiofrequency waves, the second communication unit being d for icating with the set of the first communication units, the bottom of the drawer being formed with a al able to be crossed by radiofrequency waves transmitted by said or each second communication unit, said or each second communication unit being positioned below the bottom of the drawer, facing the corresponding slot of the drawer so as to allow communication n said second communication unit and the first communication unit of an element received in said slot.

The device may comprise one or several of the ing features, taken individually or according to all the technically possible combinations: - the bottom of the drawer is in plastic; - the elements are containers of biological products, of drugs or of therapeutic preparations; - each first communication unit is a radio-identification tag and each second communication unit is a radio-identification reader; - each second communication unit is secured to the support of the corresponding drawer block; - each second communication unit is secured to the drawer of the corresponding drawer block; - the device comprises a plurality of drawer blocks, an upper end and/or a lower end of the support of each drawer block comprising an assembling member with an additional assembling , respectively of a lower end or of an upper end of the t of one other of said drawer blocks so that the drawer blocks are assembled on each other in order to form a vertical stack; - each first communication unit comprises information relative to the ponding element to said first communication unit, each second ication unit being, if necessary, able to communicate with the first communication unit of the element received in the slot facing said second communication unit for obtaining information relative to the element, the device further comprising a ted processing unit to each second communication unit, the processing unit being able to determine, from said communicated information, the occupation of each slot and, if necessary, a state of the element received in said slot, the processing unit being able to trigger an alarm depending on the occupation of each slot and, if necessary, of the state of the corresponding element to said slot.

Also disclosed herein is an installation comprising: - an enclosure comprising an inner compartment, and - a device according to the first aspect of the invention, the device being positioned in the inner compartment of the enclosure.

The installation may comprise one or several of the following features, taken individually or according to all the technically possible ations: - the enclosure is a refrigerating enclosure; - the elements are containers of ets, the enclosure being a platelet stirrer.

In the description in this specification, reference may be made to subject matter which is not within the scope of the appended claims. That subject matter should be readily identifiable by a person skilled in the art and may assist in g into practice the invention as defined in the presently appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon g the description which follows of embodiments of the invention, given only as an example and with reference to the drawings which are: - figure 1, a schematic perspective illustration of an installation sing a device for storing, - figure 2, a tic perspective illustration of the device for storing of figure 1, - figure 3, a schematic illustration of several drawer blocks of the device for storing of figure 1, and - figure 4, a tic illustration of an t ed to be stored in the device of figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An installation 10 for storing elements 12 is illustrated in figure 1.

The elements 12 are for example containers (visible in figure 2). Generally, a container refers to any type of bag intended to contain products whose use is conditioned by strict storage constraints.

More particularly, the elements 12 are for example bags containing biological products such as blood products (primary blood cells bags, plasma bags, platelet bags, red blood cells bags…) or cell engineering products (human or animal cells, notably human or animal stem cells, products deriving from human or animal .

Alternatively, the elements 12 are drug bags or eutic preparation bags containing one or several active ingredients or drugs, such as herapy bags generally containing a solute and one or several active ingredients for chemotherapy.

More generally, the elements 12 are able to contain any product intended to be infused into a human or into an animal.

As visible in figure 4, each element 12 comprises a first ss communication unit 14. Each first communication unit 14 is for example a tag, such as an ve tag affixed on an outer face of the element 12.

In general, each first communication unit 14 comprises at least one antenna, a memory and optionally a microprocessor.

The antenna of each first communication unit 14 is for example a requency antenna.

The memory of each first communication unit 14 ses pieces of information relative to the corresponding element 12.

Such pieces of information are for example: a unique identifier of the element 12, the storage date of the element 12, the expiry date of the element 12, the date at which the first communication unit 14 of the element 12 has communicated pieces of information for the last time, the donation number relative to the contents of the element 12, the t code of the content of the element 12, the Rhesus group of the content of the element 12, the blood phenotype of the content of the element 12, the ty of the patient from which stems the t of the element 12, the name of the patient from which stems the content of the element 12, the volume of the content of the element 12, the donation center (including the address) where the content of the t 12 has been obtained, the current process on the element 12 and the agulant type of the content of the element 12. In the case of chemotherapy, such pieces of ation further comprise the manufacturing date, the product type, the carrier type, the ty of the prescribing physician, the identity of the pharmacist, the identity of the manufacturer, the release date and the status (released, delivered, etc.).

The installation 10 comprises an enclosure 20 and a device for storing 22.

The enclosure 20 comprises an inner compartment 24 for receiving the device for storing 22.

The enclosure 20 is for example a refrigerating enclosure, such as a refrigerator or a deep freeze. When the refrigerating enclosure is a refrigerator, the temperature of the enclosure is comprised between 0 s Celsius (°C) and 5°, preferably equal to 4°C.

When the refrigerating enclosure is a deep freeze, the temperature of the enclosure is comprised between -35°C and -196°C, preferably equal to -40°C.

Alternatively, the enclosure 20 is a platelet stirrer. The enclosure 20 is then preferably integrated into an incubator having a temperature, preferably equal to 24°C.

Hereinafter, ve positions are defined with respect to a common usage direction of the enclosure 20 for which a bottom is defined, generally resting on the ground, and a top opposite the bottom. These relative positions are in particular shown by terms such as "below" or "above".

The device 22 comprises a ity of drawer blocks 30 and a base 32. As visible in figure 2, the device 22 further comprises a processing unit 33.

As this will be described later on, the drawer blocks 30 are stacked on each other in order to form a vertical stack 38 of drawer blocks 30. Figures 1 to 3 illustrate an example of a stack of ten drawer blocks 30.

Each drawer block 30 comprises a support 40, a drawer 42 and at least one second ication unit 44, visible in figure 2.

The support 40 comprises a housing 45, an upper end 46, a lower end 48 (visible in figure 3) and connections 49 (visible in figure 2). Optionally, each drawer block 30 also comprises a plate.

Each g 45 is able to receive the corresponding drawer 42.

The upper end 46 of each drawer block 30, visible in figure 3, comprises at least one first assembling member 51. The first assembling members 51 are for example female assembling members.

The lower end 48 of each drawer block 30, visible in figure 3, comprises at least one second assembling member 52, complementary to the first assembling members 51.

The second assembling members 52 are for example male assembling members.

In the example illustrated in figure 3, the first assembling s 51 are grooves and the second assembling members 52 are ribs complementary to the grooves.

Thus, each drawer block 30 is led to at least one other drawer block 30 of the stack 38 by the first assembling (s) 51 of said drawer block 30 and/or by the second assembling member(s) 52 of said drawer block 30.

The connections 49 are for example, electrical connections.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the connections 49 of each drawer block 30 are connected, on the one hand to the second communication units 44 of said drawer block 30, and on the other hand, to the second communication units 44 of the other drawer blocks 30. rmore, the connections 49 are connected to the processing unit 33.

Each drawer 42 is positioned in the housing 45 of the support 40. Each drawer 42 is able to slide vely to the corresponding support 40.

Each drawer 42 comprises a bottom 56 defining at least one slot 58 for receiving an element 12.

The bottom 56 of each drawer 42 is made from a material able to be traversed by radioelectrical waves transmitted by the second communication unit 44 of the drawer block 30 of said drawer 42.

The material of the bottom 56 of each drawer 42 is for e plastic.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, the bottom 56 of each drawer 42 defines twelve slots 58 for receiving elements 12.

Each slot 58 is for e delimited by edges 59 g a locker 60.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, each drawer block 30 comprises as many second communication units 44 as there are slots 58.

Each second communication unit 44 is arranged below the bottom 56 of the drawer 42 facing the corresponding slot 58, so as to allow communication between said second communication unit 44 and the first communication unit 14 of an element 12 received in said slot 58. By the expression "facing", it is meant the fact that each second communication unit 44 is positioned facing the space delimited by the slot 58. Formulated otherwise, the projection of the slot 58 in the plane of the second ication unit 44 coincides with the second ication unit 44.

Each second communication unit 44 is able to communicate, if applicable, with the first communication unit 14 of the element 12 received in said slot 58 for obtaining pieces of information relative to the element 12.

Each second communication unit 44 is able to transmit radiofrequency waves.

Each second communication unit 44 is adapted for communicating with the set of first communication units 14.

In an exemplary embodiment, the first communication units 14 are RFID tags and the second communication units 44 are RFID readers.

More lly, each second communication unit 44 comprises at least one antenna, a memory and optionally a microprocessor.

In the embodiment illustrated in figures 1 to 3, each second communication unit 44 is secured to the drawer 42 of the corresponding drawer block 30. More specifically, each second communication unit 44 is fastened below the bottom 56 of the drawer 42 of the corresponding slot 58.

In an alternative, each second communication unit 44 is secured to the support 40 of the corresponding drawer block 30. Each drawer block 30 r comprises a satellite.

The satellite is a casing which ns the second ication unit 44. The satellite is fastened to the support 40 of said drawer block 30 directly under the drawer 42 of said drawer block 30. When the drawer 42 is closed, said second communication unit 44 is facing the corresponding slot 58 and is therefore, if applicable, capable of communicating with a first communication unit 14 oned in the corresponding slot 58. When the drawer 42 is open, said second ication unit 44 is not moved with the drawer 42, and therefore is not capable of communicating with a first communication unit 14 positioned in the corresponding slot 58.

Each plate is able to prevent the passing of lectric waves transmitted by all the second communication units 44.

Each plate is positioned below the bottom 56 of the drawer 42 of each drawer block 30 and below the second communication units 44 corresponding to the slots 58 at the bottom 56 of the drawer 42 of said drawer block 30. Thus, each second communication unit 44 is able to communicate only with the first communication units 14 positioned above said second communication unit 44.

Each plate is for example, made in metal.

The base 32 is led with the lowest drawer block 30 of the stack 38 of drawer blocks 30. To that end, the base 32 comprises an upper end 62 comprising at least one third assembling . Each third assembling member is identical to the first assembling members 51. The second assembling member(s) 52 of the last drawer block of the stack 38 are assembled with the third assembling member(s) of the base 32, which makes it possible to close the stack 38.

The processing unit 33 is able to process the pieces of information stemming from the second communication units 44. In particular, the sing unit 33 is able to determine the occupation of each slot 58 and, if able, from said pieces of information, a state of the element 12 oned in said slot 58.

The determined states are for example two in number: a "valid" state and an id" state. An element 12 is considered as being "valid" when the pieces of information relative to the element 12 are compliant with requirement specifications and is considered as "invalid" in the opposite case.

Thus, the processing unit 33 has an instantaneous image of the device for storing 22, namely which element 12 is in which slot 58 and the pieces of information relative to each of said elements 12. The processing unit 33 also comprises a history of the entry and exit dates of each element 12 relative to the device 22.

Further, the processing unit 33 is able to coordinate the second communication units 44. In particular, the processing unit 33 is able to activate each second communication unit 44 and to order, if applicable, the updating, by the second communication units 44, of the pieces of information contained in the first communication units 14.

Optionally, the processing unit 33 is able to generate an alarm depending on the occupation of each slot 58 and, if applicable, on the state of the corresponding t 12 to said slot 58. For example, if the processing unit 33 determines that a same slot 58 comprises more than one element 12, the processing unit 33 generates an alarm.

The operation of the device 22 integrated into the installation 10 will now be described.

When an element 12 is positioned in the slot 58 of one of the drawer blocks 30 of the device 22, the second communication unit 44 corresponding to said slot 58 icates with the first ication unit 14 of said element 12, in order to obtain the pieces of information relative to the element 12. From the collected pieces of ation, the processing unit 33 determines a state of each element 12, and if necessary, either triggers or not an alarm.

Thus, the device 22 gives the possibility of reliably controlling the state of the elements 12 stored in the device 22, as well as the occupation level of the slots 58 of the drawer blocks 30.

Furthermore, the ic positioning of the readers below the corresponding drawer gives the possibility of obtaining reduced tion.

The device 22 is therefore a device for storing elements making it possible to check the status of elements 12 reliably without congesting the storage area.

Furthermore, it is easy to assemble and disassemble the drawer blocks 30 of the device 22. Such a modularity of the device 22 gives the possibility of adapting the device 22 to a large number of facilities 10, by modifying the number of drawer blocks 30 of the stack 38.

Furthermore, a stack of drawer blocks is much lighter and more compact than a plurality of drawers, and therefore easier to manipulate and install.

Additionally, from a production oint, thousands of identical drawer blocks 30 are manufactured, rather than tens of cabinets with different formats. This makes it possible to achieve economies of scale, simplify inventory management, and fy maintenance.

Moreover, the device 22 is adaptable to an installation 10 not having hand any RFID technology.

Additionally, the d bulk makes it possible to contemplate configurations in which the installation 10 contains a larger number of elements 12.

Further, the installation 10 and/or the device 22 are easy to manufacture.

Lastly, in the alternative according to which each drawer block 30 comprises a satellite, the satellite is in a single block and is therefore easy to replace in case of failure.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not by way of limitation. It will be apparent to a person skilled in the relevant art that various changes in form and detail can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention should not be limited by any of the above described ary embodiments.

Throughout this ication and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

The nce in this specification to any prior publication (or information d from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavor to which this specification relates.

Claims (11)

1. A device configured to store a ity of elements, each t including a wireless communication device, the device comprising: 5 a plurality of drawer assemblies, each drawer assembly comprising an upper end and a lower end, a support sing a housing and an assembly member with a respective complementary assembly member of the lower end or the upper end of the support of another of the drawer assemblies, so that the drawer lies are configured to be 10 assembled on each other to form a vertical stack, a drawer positioned in the housing of the t and slidable relative to the support, the drawer sing a bottom defining a plurality of slots configured to receive an element, for each slot, a single itter dedicated to the slot and configured to transmit 15 radio frequency waves, the single transmitter being configured to communicate with all of the wireless communication devices, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made of a material ured to be traversed by requency waves emitted by the or each single transmitter, and wherein the or each single transmitter is disposed under the bottom of the drawer 20 facing the corresponding slot of the bottom of the drawer in order to allow communication between the single transmitter and the wireless communication device of one of the elements received in the slot.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made 25 of plastic.

3. The device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the elements are containers of biological products, drugs or therapeutic preparations. 30

4. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein each wireless communication device is a radio identification tag, and each single transmitter is a radio identification reader.

5. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each single 35 transmitter is secured to the support of the corresponding drawer assembly.

6. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each single transmitter is secured to the drawer of the ponding drawer assembly.

7. The device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein each wireless 5 communication device comprises information relative to the respective t, n each single transmitter is, when it is riate, configured to communicate with the wireless communication device of the element received in the slot te the single transmitter to obtain information relative to the t when it is appropriate for the respective single transmitter to communicate with the wireless 10 communication device, the device further comprising a processor connected to each single transmitter, the processor being configured to determine, from the communicated information, an occupation of each slot and, when it is appropriate, a state of the t ed in the slot, the processor being ured to trigger an alarm according to the occupation of 15 each slot and, when it is appropriate, the state of the element corresponding to the slot.

8. An installation comprising: an enclosure comprising an al compartment; and the device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, the device being disposed in the 20 internal compartment of the enclosure.

9. The installation according to claim 8, wherein the enclosure is a refrigerating enclosure. 25

10. The installation according to claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the elements are platelet containers, and the enclosure is a platelet stirrer.

11. A device configured to store a plurality of elements, each element including a wireless communication device, the device comprising: 30 a plurality of drawer assemblies, each drawer assembly comprising a support comprising a housing, a drawer positioned in the housing of the support and slidable ve to the support, the drawer comprising a bottom defining a plurality of slots configured to receive an element, for each slot, at least one transmitter dedicated to the slot and configured to transmit radio frequency waves, the at least one transmitter being configured to communicate with all of the wireless communication devices, wherein the bottom of the drawer is made of a material configured to be traversed 5 by radiofrequency waves emitted by the or each transmitter, wherein the or each transmitter is ed under the bottom of the drawer facing the corresponding slot of the bottom of the drawer in order to allow communication between the at least one itter and the wireless communication device of one of the elements received in the slot, and 10 wherein each itter is secured to the drawer of the corresponding drawer assembly. 2 4 12 42 38 12 22 30 58 30 44 45 5 6 40 68 3 2 49 59 58 60 46 52 40 51 52 5 2 42 51 52