Medical instrument with a non-contact readable data carrier

• US 7,722,531 B1
• Filed: 07/26/2000
• Issued: 05/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Original Assignee: Karl Storz Se & Co. Kg
• Inventors: Boche, Hartmut
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathew; Fenn C
• Application Number:
  US09/625,792
• Time in Patent Office: 3,590 Days
• Field of Search: 600/101, 600/103, 600117-118, 600/549, 128/903, 734/31, 738/665, 607/36, 607/9, 606/1
• US Class Current: 600/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00016 using wireless means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0002 provided with data storages
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00059 provided with identification means for the endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/06 Measuring instruments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 7/00 Signs, name or number plates, letters, numerals, or symbols vehicle registration number plates B60R13/10; Panels or boards show-cards G09F1/00; indicating arrangements for variable information G09F9/00, G09F11/00; illuminated signs G09F13/00; boards for notices or posters G09F15/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a medical instrument comprising an instrument body. The instrument body comprises at least one outer surface, and a recess is disposed in said instrument body. A non-contact readable data carrier is embedded in said recess, wherein means are arranged between said data carrier and said recess by which the data carrier is floatingly embedded in said recess.

Claims

1. A medical instrument comprising:

an instrument body having at least one outer surface,

a recess which is provided in said instrument body and which comprises a collar forming an undercut in at least one partial region of the recess, said collar having an inside diameter that is smaller than a length and a width of said recess,

a wireless readable data carrier embedded in said recess, said data carrier having outer dimensions which are smaller than said inside diameter, wherein said wireless readable data carrier comprises a transponder and an antenna for receiving and sending electromagnetic interrogation and answering signals, and

an embedding medium surrounding said data carrier and forming a body by means of which said data carrier is non-removeably held in said undercut;

said embedding medium selected from the group consisting of;

epoxy resin or other duroplastic synthetic materials, cement, ceramics and combinations thereof.

2. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said embedding medium has a first elasticity modulus and said instrument body has a second elasticity modulus, and wherein said first elasticity modulus is larger than said second elasticity modulus.

3. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said embedding medium has a first elasticity modulus and said instrument body has a second elasticity modulus, and wherein said first elasticity modulus is smaller than said second elasticity modulus.

4. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said means include an embedding medium, which embedding medium completely encases said data carrier.

5. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said embedding medium has a first heat conductivity, wherein said instrument body has a second heat conductivity, and wherein said first heat conductivity is smaller than said second heat conductivity.

6. The medical instrument of claim 1, further comprising at least one spacer arranged between said data carrier and said recess.

7. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said data carrier is held substantially equidistantly in respect of said instrument body.

8. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said recess comprises an opening which forms a window in said outer surface of said instrument body.

9. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said recess is made visually recognizable in the region of said outer surface.

10. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said data carrier is surrounded by a glass casing.

11. The medical instrument of claim 1, wherein said recess expands in funnel-shaped manner in the direction of said outer surface in the region of said antenna.

12. A medical instrument comprising:

an instrument body having an outer surface,

a recess provided in said instrument body including a collar having a length L_K and a width B_K forming an undercut in at least one partial region of the recess, said recess having a length L_H and a width B_H, where L_H is greater than L_K and B_H is greater than B_K;

a wireless readable data carrier embedded in said recess, said data carrier having a length L_T, where L_T is less than L_K, wherein said wireless readable data carrier comprises a transponder and an antenna for receiving and sending electromagnetic interrogation and answering signals; and

an embedding medium inserted into said recess and surrounding said data carrier such that a rigid body is formed by means of which said data carrier is non-removeably held in said undercut as a unitary rigid structure;

said embedding medium selected from the group consisting of;

epoxy resin or other duroplastic synthetic materials, cement, ceramics and combinations thereof.

13. The medical instrument according to claim 12 where said recess includes an opening at a top of said recess having dimensions larger than the length L_K and a width B_K.

14. A medical instrument comprising:

an instrument body having an outer surface,

a recess which is provided in said instrument body and which comprises a collar forming an undercut in at least one partial region of the recess, said collar having an inside diameter that is smaller than a length and a width of said recess,

a wireless readable data carrier embedded in said recess, said data carrier having outer dimensions which are smaller than said inside diameter, wherein said wireless readable data carrier comprises a transponder and an antenna for receiving and sending electromagnetic interrogation and answering signals, and

an embedding medium encapsulating and forming a body surrounding said data carrier such that said data carrier is decoupled from said instrument body wherein any mechanical or thermal load acting upon said instrument body is not directly transferred to said data carrier;

said embedding medium selected from the group consisting of;

epoxy resin or other duroplastic synthetic materials, cement, ceramics and combinations thereof.

15. The medical instrument according to claim 14 wherein said embedding medium is selected from the group consisting of epoxy resin, cement, ceramic or combinations thereof.