Device for repeated registration of the number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage has been subjected
First Claim
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1. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
- at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle; and
a resetting unit in mechanical communication with said indicator element for automatically resetting said indicator element to said first indication position upon an occurrence of a predetermined condition.
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Abstract
A device for repeated registration of the number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage has been subjected has a temperature-sensitive element and/or a pressure-sensitive element arranged in conjunction with the part. This element reversibly changes its physical shape with temperature and/or pressure, variations in pressure being invariably associated with changes in temperature. A registration unit registers this change in shape when it exceeds a specific threshold value, as an indication of the part undergoing, or having undergone, a thermal cycle.
207 Citations
35 Claims
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1. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle; and
a resetting unit in mechanical communication with said indicator element for automatically resetting said indicator element to said first indication position upon an occurrence of a predetermined condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and
, said indicator element performing an accumulating one-way movement in a single direction in a plurality of successive thermal cycles, with said second indication position in a succeeding thermal cycle corresponding to the first indication position in a thermal cycle preceding said succeeding thermal cycle; and
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle; and
said registration unit comprising a rod and said indicator element comprising two disks, each having a hole therein, disposed spaced from each other on said rod with said rod extending through said holes and allowing said disks to slide along said rod, and said temperature-responsive element mechanically interconnecting said disks and normally pressing said disks against said rod in a locked position and causing said disks to advance in a single direction along said rod by elongation of said temperature-responsive element when said threshold value is exceeded. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18)
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19. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle; and
said registration unit including a tube and said indicator element and said temperature-responsive element being coupled together to form a moving body which incrementally moves in said tube with an incremental movement caused by each thermal cycle, and said registration unit comprising an electrical circuit, having a variable electrical parameter, which changes dependent on said incremental movement of said moving body, said electrical parameter being selected from the group of electrical parameters consisting of resistance, inductance and capacitance. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature changes;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value;
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle; and
said temperature-responsive element and said indicator element being coupled together to form a moving body, and said registration unit comprising a tube in which said moving body is disposed, said moving body having a tapering appliance attached thereto which moves along a length of said tube together with said moving body, and said registration unit further comprising a light transmitter which transmits light through said tube in a direction substantially perpendicular to said length and a light receiver which receives said light, said appliance increasingly blocking light between said transmitter and said receiver as said moving body incrementally moves in said tube during a thermal cycle. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31)
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32. A device for repeated registration of a number of thermal cycles to which a part for medical usage is subjected, comprising:
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at least one temperature-responsive element selected from the group of elements consisting of temperature-sensitive elements and pressure-sensitive elements associated with a part for which a number of thermal cycles to which said part has been subjected is to be identified;
said temperature-responsive element having a physical shape which reversibly changes dependent on at least one of temperature and pressure, with variations in pressure always occurring with temperature chances;
an indicator element which is normally disposed in a first indication position and which is disposed to interact with said at least one temperature-responsive element so as to move to a second indication position when the change in physical shape of said temperature-responsive element exceeds a predetermined threshold value, said indicator element comprising two wheels, each having an opening therein, and a rod extending through the respective openings in said two wheels, said wheels rotating in only one direction around said rod and being interconnected to each other by said temperature-responsive element, said wheels incrementally rotating in steps of a predetermined angle in said direction during each thermal cycle; and
a registration unit communicating with said indicator element to register movement of said indicator element from said first indication position to said second indication position as an identification of said part undergoing a thermal cycle. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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Specification