ASSISTIVE DEVICE FOR A MICROBIAL SCRUB BRUSH

• US 20110284024A1
• Filed: 05/19/2011
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Original Assignee: C.R. Bard, Inc. (Becton, Dickinson & Co)
• Inventors: Trebella, Matthew, Bjorklund, Russell L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,844,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/04 with reservoir or other means for supplying substances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/70 Cleaning devices specially adapted for surgical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 1/12 Brushes
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0057 by ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/021 Cleaning pipe ends or pipe fittings, e.g. before soldering grinding tube ends B24B9/007

Abstract

A system and device for assisting with the cleansing of a medical component with a scrub brush is disclosed. In one embodiment, an assistive device for use with the scrub brush is disclosed. The scrub brush includes an insert disposed therein, the insert including a cleansing substance such as CHG or alcohol. The assistive device comprises a housing, a motor, a head removably supporting the scrub brush, and an interface interconnecting the motor and the head. The interface is a shaft that enables back-and-forth rotation or other movement of the head and scrub brush relative to the medical component so as to cleanse the medical component.

Claims

1. An assistive device for use of at least one scrub brush in cleansing a medical component, the scrub brush including an insert disposed therein, the insert including a cleansing substance, the assistive device comprising:

a housing;

a motor;

at least one head removably supporting the scrub brush; and

an interface interconnecting the motor and the head to enable movement of the head and scrub brush relative to the medical component when the medical component is engaged with the scrub brush so as to cleanse the medical component.

2. The assistive device as defined in claim 1, wherein the interface includes a shaft rotatably attached to the motor, wherein the scrub brush includes an outer holder defining an outer shape, and wherein the head supporting the scrub brush includes a receptacle correspondingly shaped with respect to the outer holder so as to receive therein the scrub brush.

3. The assistive device as defined in claim 1, further comprising at least one ultraviolet light disposed on a support structure so as to impinge ultraviolet light on the medical component when received by the scrub brush.

4. The assistive device as defined in claim 1, wherein the interface is a shaft, the shaft providing at least one of vibratory and back-and-forth rotational motion to the head.

5. The assistive device as defined in claim 4, wherein the head is removably attached to the shaft and wherein the scrub brush is removably attached to the head via at least one of a friction fit, adhesive, hook-and-loop fabric, and magnetic attraction.

6. The assistive device as defined in claim 1, further including a vacuum source in the housing to provide a negative pressure in the scrub brush to assist with fixation of impurities removed from the medical component by the scrub brush.

7. The assistive device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device further includes an ultrasonic pulse generator for providing ultrasonic pulses to the scrub brush during cleansing.

8. A system for cleansing a medical component, comprising:

a scrub brush including an insert and a cleansing substance; and

a handheld assistive device including a receptacle to removably receive the scrub brush so that the medical component can be placed into contact with the insert, wherein the assistive device selectively moves the scrub brush with respect to the medical component without substantial user effort so as to cleanse the medical component.

9. The system as defined in claim 8, wherein the receptacle is included on a head, the head rotatably attached to a motor of the assistive device via a shaft, the scrub brush including a holder containing the insert, the holder removably received within the receptacle, and wherein the assistive device rotates the scrub brush in a back-and-forth movement.

10. The system as defied in claim 9, wherein the housing further includes a switch for activating the motor, a display for depicting information relating to cleansing of the medical component, a shield, and an input component for inputting patient information into the assistive device.

11. The system as defined in claim 10, wherein the scrub brush includes a plurality of compliant fingers disposed within the holder, and wherein the cleansing substance includes at least one of CHG and alcohol.

12. The system as defined in claim 11, further comprising a docking station for operably connecting with the assistive device, the docking station including a charging system for charging a power source of the assistive device, the docking station also configured to receive data stored by the device relating to operation of the device.

13. The system as defined in claim 12, wherein the medical component includes a luer connector of a catheter, wherein the holder of the scrub brush is hexagonal, and wherein the receptacle of the head is hexagonal.

14. The system as defined in claim 13, wherein at least one of a speed, time of operation, number of rotation cycles, and direction of movement of the head can be varied, and wherein the scrub brush includes an RFID chip and wherein the assistive device includes an RFID reader for detecting information included on the RFID chip of the scrub brush.

15. A method for cleansing a medical component with a scrub brush and a handheld assistive device, the scrub brush including a cleansing substance, the method comprising:

attaching the scrub brush to the assistive device;

contacting the scrub brush with the medical component; and

moving the scrub brush relative to the medical component by operation of the assistive device so as to cleanse the medical component.

16. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 15, wherein moving the scrub brush is accomplished by the assistive device without substantial user movement.

17. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 16, wherein attaching the scrub brush includes inserting the scrub brush into a receptacle of a head of the assistive device, and wherein contacting the scrub brush with the medical component includes physically engaging a plurality of compliant fingers included in the scrub brush with external and internal portions of the medical component.

18. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 16, wherein moving the scrub brush further comprises:

rotating the head by a motor such that the scrub brush rotates about the medical component in a back-and-forth rotational motion a predetermined number of times.

19. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 16, wherein moving the scrub brush further comprises:

vibrating the scrub brush while engaged with the medical component to dislodge biofilm included on the medical component.

20. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

removing the scrub brush from engagement with the medical component after cleansing, removing the scrub brush from a head of the assistive device, and discarding the scrub brush.

21. The method for cleansing as defined in claim 16, further comprising:

impinging ultraviolet light on the medical component and scrub brush.

22. A multi-unit scrub brush, comprising:

a holder defining at least first and second cavities; and

at least first and second inserts respectively disposed in the at least first and second cavities such that a medical component inserted into one of the first and second cavities engages the respective insert,

wherein a cleansing substance is included with the insert such that the medical component is cleansed when the insert is moved relative to the medical component during engagement therewith.

23. The scrub brush as defined in claim 22, wherein the at least first and second cavities are disposed in a plane.

24. The scrub brush as defined in claim 22, further comprising at least first, second, and third cavities disposed orthogonally to one another and respectively including first, second, and third inserts.

25. The scrub brush as defined in claim 24, further comprising at least first, second, and third engagement nubs disposed opposite the respective first, second, and third cavities, the nubs sized to be received within a receptacle of an assistive device for selectively rotating one of the first, second, and third inserts about the medical component.

26. The scrub brush as defined in claim 22, further comprising at least first, second, and third cavities and respectively including first, second, and third inserts, the at least first, second, and third cavities being angularly spaced equally from one another.