Endoscope Storage Cabinet, Tracking System, and Signal Emitting Member

• US 20140097954A1
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Original Assignee: Mobile Aspects
• Inventors: Mandava, Suneil, Sriharto, Timur P., Iasella, Gino N., Le, Khang Nguyen, Kardono, Pribadi, Brenkus, Hansen, Rahim, Muhammad R., Frye, Jared Kiah, Mandava, Prasad Venkata Lakshmi, Rengeswamy, Balaji
• Granted Patent: US 8,992,416 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/539.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00144 Hygienic packaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/123 using washing machines
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2050/105 Cabinets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 50/10 Furniture specially adapted for surgical or diagnostic appliances or instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/10405 the interrogation device including an arrangement for sensing environmental parameters, such as a temperature or acceleration sensor, e.g. used as an on/off trigger or as a warning means
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 17/00 Devices for absorbing waves radiated from an antenna; Combinations of such devices with active antenna elements or systems

Abstract

An endoscope storage cabinet for use with at least one endoscope having at least one signal emitting member associated therewith and configured to emit a signal indicative of at least one attribute of the at least one endoscope to which it is associated, the cabinet including: an enclosed structure formed by a plurality of walls defining an inner area which is accessible by at least one door; at least one hanger arrangement configured to support at least a portion of at least one endoscope positioned thereon; at least one signal receiving device associated with the enclosed structure and configured to receive the signal emitted by the at least one signal emitting member; and a local control device in communication with the at least one signal receiving device and configured to receive and process the signal emitted by the at least one signal emitting member.

Claims

1. An endoscope storage cabinet for use with at least one endoscope having at least one signal emitting member associated therewith, the at least one signal emitting member configured to emit a signal indicative of at least one attribute of the at least one endoscope to which it is associated, the cabinet comprising:

an enclosed structure formed by a plurality of walls defining an inner area, wherein the inner area is accessible by at least one door;

at least one hanger arrangement configured to support at least a portion of at least one endoscope positioned thereon;

at least one signal receiving device associated with the enclosed structure and configured to receive the signal emitted by the at least one signal emitting member; and

a local control device in communication with the at least one signal receiving device and configured to receive and process the signal emitted by the at least one signal emitting member.

2. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein the at least one door is locked by at least one locking arrangement in direct or indirect communication with the local control device.

3. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein the hanger arrangement comprises a plurality of projecting members extending from an inner surface of at least one of the plurality of walls.

4. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 3, wherein the hanger arrangement comprises a first projecting member spaced and offset from a second projecting member, wherein the first projecting member is configured to contact a first portion of a first end of at least one endoscope, and the second projecting member is configured to contact a second portion of the first end of the at least one endoscope.

5. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a hook arrangement configured to contact and retain at least a portion of at least one endoscope supported by the at least one hanger arrangement.

6. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 5, wherein the hook arrangement comprises a plurality of spaced hooks, each configured to contact and retain at least a portion of at least one endoscope supported by the at least one hanger arrangement.

7. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, wherein the at least one signal receiving device comprises an antenna positioned in a lower area of the enclosed structure, and wherein the at least one signal emitting member is positioned on a second end of the at least one endoscope.

8. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of electronic components positioned in a housing located on top of the enclosed structure and configured to communication with or control at least one component of the endoscope storage cabinet.

9. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, further comprising at least one vent configured to permit air circulation within the enclosed structure.

10. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, further comprising at least one light member configured to emit light within the enclosed structure.

11. The endoscope storage cabinet of claim 1, further comprising at least one removable drip pan configured to capture liquid dripping from the at least one endoscope.

12. An endoscope tracking system, comprising:

at least one computing device having a machine-readable storage medium containing instructions that, if executed, enable a processor to;

process at least one of the following;

signals from at least one signal emitting member associated with at least one endoscope, data associated with the signals from the at least one signal emitting member associated with the at least one endoscope, or any combination thereof; and

identify at least one attribute associated with the at least one endoscope.

13. The endoscope tracking system of claim 12, wherein the at least one attribute is at least one of the following:

endoscope data, disinfection stage data, disinfection device data, damage data, cleaning data, use data, associated user data, location data, alert data, time data, or any combination thereof.

14. The endoscope tracking system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further enabled to generate an initial correlation between a specific signal emitting member and a specific endoscope.

15. The endoscope tracking system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further enabled to:

generate alert data based upon the at least one attribute; and

at least one of;

display the alert data on a display device associated with the at least one computing device, communicate the alert data to a remote device, or any combination thereof.

16. The endoscope tracking system of claim 12, further comprising at least one endoscope storage cabinet configured to hold at least one endoscope, wherein the at least one computing device is a local computing device mounted on or near the at least one endoscope storage cabinet and configured to at least one of communicate and control at least one component of the at least one endoscope storage cabinet.

17. The endoscope tracking system of claim 16, further comprising a remote central computing device in communication with the local computing device of the at least one endoscope storage cabinet.

18. The endoscope tracking system of claim 12, wherein the at least one computing device is a central computing device in communication with a local computing device mounted on or near at least one endoscope storage cabinet configured to hold at least one endoscope.

19. A signal emitting member, comprising:

a flexible body configured for attachment to an item;

a protruding portion extending from the body; and

a signal emitting component attached to or embedded at least partially within the protruding portion and configured to emit a signal therefrom.

20. The signal emitting member of claim 19, wherein at least a portion of the signal emitting member is formed from at least one of the following:

rubber, silicone, a molded material, a radio frequency absorbent material, a chemical resistant material, a heat resistant material, an abrasion resistant material, a sticky material.