Safety charging system for surgical hand piece

• US 20080030170A1
• Filed: 08/03/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Dos Santos, Cesario P., Dacquay, Bruno, Hallen, Paul R., Lind, Casey J.
• Application Number:
  US11/498,400
• Publication Number:
  US 20080030170A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00036 Charger exchanging data with battery
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00047 with provisions for charging different types of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

A safety charging system for a battery-operated surgical hand includes a charging base, a battery pack, and control logic. The charging base has an RFID reader antenna disposed near a top surface of the charging base and charge circuitry for charging the battery. The battery pack has the battery used with the hand piece and an RFID tag antenna disposed near a bottom surface of the battery pack. The control logic determines if the battery should be charged based on a data point read by the RFID reader antenna.

Claims

1. A safety charging system for a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

a charging base for charging a battery used with the hand piece, the charging base comprising an RFID reader antenna disposed near a top surface of the charging base and charge circuitry for charging the battery;

a battery pack comprising the battery used with the hand piece and an RFID tag antenna disposed near a bottom surface of the battery pack; and

control logic for determining if the battery should be charged based on a data point read by the RFID reader antenna.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data point is a charge count for the battery.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data point is a charge level of the battery.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display for showing the number of charge cycles remaining for the battery pack.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a display for showing the number of charge cycles that the battery pack has undergone.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising an indicator.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the charging base further comprises a primary coil and the battery pack further comprises a secondary coil.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the charging base further comprises RFID reader circuitry and the battery pack further comprises an RFID tag integrated circuit.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising circuitry for disabling the battery pack when the control logic determines that the battery pack is unsafe.

10. The system of claim 1 further comprising power conditioning circuitry.

11. A method of safely operating a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

recognizing a communications link between a charging base and a battery pack;

reading a charge level from the battery pack; and

based on the charge level, determining if it is safe to use the battery pack for a medical procedure.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

charging the battery pack if it is not safe to use the battery pack for the medical procedure.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

reading a charge count from the battery pack; and

decrementing the charge count by one.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

reading a charge count from the battery pack; and

incrementing the charge count by one.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

illuminating a light if it is safe to use the battery pack for a medical procedure.

16. A method of safely operating a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

recognizing a communications link between a charging base and a battery pack;

reading a charge count from the battery pack; and

based on the charge count, determining if it is safe to use the battery pack for a medical procedure.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

disabling the battery pack if it is not safe to use the battery pack for the medical procedure.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

charging the battery pack if it is safe to use the battery pack for the medical procedure; and

decrementing the charge count by one.

19. A method of safely operating a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

recognizing a communications link between a charging base and a battery pack;

reading a charge level from the battery pack;

reading a charge count from the battery pack; and

based on the charge level and charge count, determining if it is safe to charge the battery pack for use in a medical procedure.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising:

charging the battery pack if it is safe to use the battery pack in the medical procedure; and

decrementing the charge count by one.

21. A method of safely operating a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

recognizing a communications link between a charging base and a battery pack;

reading a charge count from the battery pack;

based on the charge count, determining a number of medical procedures that can safely be performed with the battery pack; and

displaying the number of medical procedures that can safely be performed with the battery pack.

22. A safety charging system for a battery-operated surgical hand piece comprising:

a charging base for charging a battery used with the hand piece, the charging base comprising a first circuit for communicating with the hand piece and charge circuitry for charging the battery;

a battery pack comprising the battery used with the hand piece and a second circuit for communicating with the charging base; and

control logic for determining if the battery should be charged based on a data point received by the first circuit.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein the data point is a charge count for the battery.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein the data point is a charge level of the battery.

25. The system of claim 22 further comprising a display for showing the number of charge cycles remaining for the battery pack.

26. The system of claim 22 further comprising an indicator.

27. The system of claim 22 wherein the charging base further comprises a primary coil and the battery pack further comprises a secondary coil.

28. The system of claim 22 further comprising circuitry for disabling the battery pack when the control logic determines that the battery pack is unsafe.

29. The system of claim 22 further comprising power conditioning circuitry.