Sterilizer cassette handling system with dual visual code reading
First Claim
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1. A method for tracking sterilant cassettes within a sterilizer comprising the steps of:
- reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by reading a first visual code on the cassette with a scanner;
with the same scanner reading for the presence of a second visual code in a spent cassette collection box; and
upon successfully reading the second visual code determining that the spent cassette collection box is present and has capacity to receive the cassette.
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Abstract
A method for tracking sterilant cassettes within a sterilizer involves reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by reading a first visual code on the cassette with a scanner and with the same scanner reading for the presence of a second visual code in a spent cassette collection box. Upon successfully reading the second visual code it is thus known that the spent cassette collection box is present and has capacity to receive the cassette.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for tracking sterilant cassettes within a sterilizer comprising the steps of:
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reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by reading a first visual code on the cassette with a scanner;
with the same scanner reading for the presence of a second visual code in a spent cassette collection box; and
upon successfully reading the second visual code determining that the spent cassette collection box is present and has capacity to receive the cassette. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A cassette control system for a sterilizer comprising:
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a cassette having a first visual code thereon;
a spent cassette collection box having a second visual code thereon;
a scanner for reading the first visual code and the second visual code;
wherein the second visual code is located so that when the spent cassette collection box is full, view of the code from the scanner is obscured; and
a control system connected to the scanner and having a control algorithm for determining the presence of a cassette when the scanner successfully reads the first visual code and for determining that the spent cassette collection box is present and has capacity to receive the cassette upon successfully reading the second visual code. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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- 18. A spent cassette collection box for receiving spent cassettes from a sterilizer, the spent cassette collection box comprising a bottom wall, upstanding walls attached to the bottom wall which extend upwards to terminate in an upper edge, and a machine readable visual indicia on an inside surface of at least one of the walls adjacent its upper edge whereby when the box is filled with spent cassettes the visual indicia is obscured and when the box has capacity for at least one more cassette the visual indicia is unobscured.
Specification