PART OF AN ELECTRICAL CONNECTING DEVICE

• US 20070208451A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 09/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: ODU Steckverbindungssysteme GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Jacobi, Wolfgang
• Granted Patent: US 7,856,977 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/159
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0803 Counting the number of times an instrument is used
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/28 Devices for testing the effectiveness or completeness of sterilisation, e.g. indicators which change colour apparatus involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M1/34; methods involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/14 Means for controlling sterilisation processes, data processing, presentation and storage means, e.g. sensors, controllers, programs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/465 Identification means, e.g. labels, tags, markings H01R9/2475, H01R9/2683 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

Part of an electrical connecting device, especially for use in medical technology, with a display device to display an effect on the part resulting from a preparatory step for the use of the part, whereby the display device has a visible field whose colored appearance changes at least in sections as a reaction to the effect resulting from the preparatory measure.

Claims

1. An electrical connecting device comprising:

a display device to display an effect on the device resulting from a preparatory operation to use the device, the display to include a visible field whose colored appearance changes at least in sections as a reaction to the effect resulting from the preparatory operation.

2. The electrical connecting device of claim 1 wherein the colored appearance changes include the colored appearance changing from a first state to a second state, wherein a difference in the first and second states is discernible by a human viewer when the effect exceeds a predetermined degree.

3. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein different colors appear in the first and second states.

4. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein different gray levels appear in the first and the second states.

5. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein the predetermined degree is at least partially determined by a maximum intensity and/or an overall dose of the effect of one or a plurality of prior preparatory operations.

6. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein the predetermined degree is at least partially determined by a number of prior preparatory operations.

7. The electrical connecting device of claim 6 wherein the number of prior preparatory operations is equal to one.

8. The electrical connecting device of claim 6 wherein the number of prior preparatory operations is a predetermined maximum number of prior preparatory operations after which the proper functioning of the device is no longer ensured.

9. The electrical connecting device of claim 8 wherein the maximum number is selected from the group of consisting of 50, 100, 200 or 500.

10. The electrical connecting device of claim 6 wherein the visible change from the colored appearance of the first state to the second state occurs suddenly, and the number of prior preparatory operations is equal to a threshold number of prior preparatory operations, the threshold number selected from a range of numbers between 80% of a predetermined maximum number of preparatory operations and 100% of the predetermined maximum number.

11. The electrical connecting device of claim 10 wherein the threshold number is selected from a range of numbers between 90% and 100% of the maximum number.

12. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein the display device has a reference display, and the appearance of the reference display does not change under the effect and is at least partially in the first and/or second state.

13. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein the display device has a scale display with an appearance that does not change under the effect, and the scale display can be compared by the human viewer with a current colored appearance of the visible field or section of the visible field to determine a degree an existing change differs from the colored appearance of the first state, and/or an amount of change that occurs before reaching the second state.

14. The electrical connecting device of claim 2 wherein the visible change from the colored appearance of the first state to the second state occurs suddenly, when an effect threshold is exceeded.

15. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the electrical connector is selected from a group consisting of a plug, a socket, or a cable.

16. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the preparatory operation is a selected one from the group consisting of cleaning, sterilization and autoclaving.

17. The electrical connector of claim 1 wherein the display device includes a substance that changes color in response to a selected one of temperature change, heat, pressure change, increased pressure, and moisture.

18. The electrical connecting device of claim 1 wherein the device is made at least partially of plastic and a substance is added to the plastic whose colored appearance changes as a reaction to an effect that results from the preparatory operation