Accessory for controlling activation of a device

• US 9,390,619 B1
• Filed: 03/11/2014
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smiths Detection-Watford Ltd. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Smiths Detection-Watford Ltd. (Smiths Group International Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Richardson, Steve, Long, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Hai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bousono, Orlando
• Application Number:
  US14/204,169
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 19/00 Electric signal transmission systems G08C17/00 takes precedence

Abstract

An accessory for a device includes an actuator that is configured to be activated to operate a switch on the device when the accessory is physically engaged with the device. The switch is operable to cause the device to switch between on and off modes in which the device is configured to function. The off mode is a mode in which the device consumes less energy than when in the on mode. A controller is communicatively coupled with the actuator and is configured to activate the actuator to operate the switch when power is applied to the actuator.

Claims

1. An accessory for a device including a housing which defines an opening of an inlet for a sample to be analyzed by the device, the accessory comprising:

an actuator configured to be activated to operate a switch on the device when the accessory is physically engaged with the device, to cause the device to switch between an off mode and an on mode in which the device is configured to function, the off mode being a mode in which the device consumes less energy than when in the on mode;

a controller communicatively coupled with the actuator, the controller being configured to activate the actuator to operate the switch when power is applied to the actuator; and

a cap configured to be mounted to the inlet of the device and having a closed condition where the cap closes the opening of the device and an open condition where the cap allows access to the inlet of the device, the cap including an inner sleeve defining an aperture that allows access to the inlet, the cap including an outer sleeve that allows access to the aperture in the open condition of the cap and forms a peripheral seal that blocks the aperture in the closed condition of the cap, the actuator configured to cause the cap to change between the closed and open conditions.

2. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the controller is further configured to perform at least one of activate the actuator to operate the switch to cause the device to switch to the off mode when power is not applied to the controller and activate the actuator to operate the switch to cause the device to switch to the off mode when power is applied to the controller.

3. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the controller further comprises a receiver configured to receive a control instruction for controlling the operation of the actuator from a remote controller.

4. The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a power source selected from the group consisting of:

a non energy constrained power source;

an energy constrained rechargeable power source;

an energy constrained non-rechargeable power source;

a power source configured to further provide power to the device;

a power source configured to be independent from a power source of the device;

a combination thereof.

5. The accessory of claim 1 further configured to form a protective cap to protect the device from an environment of the device.

6. The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a fastener configured to be mounted on an existing device without modification of the device.

7. The accessory of claim 1 wherein the actuator is further configured to operate without being electrically coupled with the device.

8. The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a mechanism comprising a magnet configured to cause a change between an open condition and a closed condition of a magnetically operated switch of the device.

9. The accessory of claim 1 further comprising a mechanical actuator configured to cause an element of the accessory to move away from the device when the device switches from the off mode to the on mode.

10. A system comprising:

a sample analyzer device having an on mode in which the device is configured to function and an off mode and including a housing which defines an opening of an inlet for a sample to be analyzed by the sample analyzer device; and

an accessory for controlling the sample analyzer device, comprising;

a cap configured to be mounted to the inlet of the sample analyzer device and having a closed condition where the cap closes the opening of the sample analyzer device and an open condition where the cap allows access to the inlet of the sample analyzer device, the cap including an inner sleeve defining an aperture that allows access to the inlet, the cap including an outer sleeve that allows access to the aperture in the open condition of the cap and forms a peripheral seal that blocks the aperture in the closed condition of the cap; and

an actuator configured to cause the cap to change between the closed and open conditions, the actuator configured to be activated to operate a switch on the sample analyzer device to cause the sample analyzer device to switch between the off mode and the on mode, the off mode being a mode in which the device consumes less energy than when in the on mode; and

a controller communicatively coupled with the actuator, the controller being configured to activate the actuator to operate the switch when power is applied to the actuator;

wherein the cap is further configured to cause activation of the sample analyzer device in the open condition, in order to allow the sample analyzer device to run an analysis.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the accessory further comprises a power source selected from the group consisting of:

a non-energy constrained power source;

an energy constrained rechargeable power source;

an energy constrained non-rechargeable power source;

a power source configured to further provide power to the sample analyzer device;

a power source configured to be independent from a power source of the sample analyzer device;

a combination thereof; and

wherein the sample analyzer device further comprises a power source selected from the group consisting of;

a non-energy constrained power source;

an energy constrained rechargeable power source;

an energy constrained non-rechargeable power source;

a power source configured to further provide power to the accessory;

a power source configured to be independent from a power source to the accessory;

a combination thereof.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the system is configured to be portable by a user.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising a mounting bracket configured to enable the mounting of the sample analyzer device on a vehicle comprising at least one of a land vehicle, a water vehicle and an aircraft.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the accessory comprises a receiver configured to receive a control instruction for controlling the operation of the actuator from a remote controller.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the receiver is at least one of a wireless receiver configured to receive the control instruction wirelessly from the remote controller and a receiver coupled to the remote controller by a wire connection.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein the receiver is wirelessly coupled to the remote controller via at least one of a cellular connection and a radio frequency connection.

17. The system of claim 14 further comprising the remote controller configured to transmit the control instruction for controlling the operation of the actuator.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein the remote controller is further configured to be part of at least one of a computer, a network comprising at least two computers, a telecommunications device and a network comprising at least two telecommunications devices.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the sample analyzer device further comprises an activation switch, independent from the cap, to activate the sample analyzer device, and wherein the cap further comprises an actuator configured to cause a change between an open condition and a closed condition of the activation switch of the sample analyzer device.

20. A method for controlling a device having an on mode in which the device is configured to function and an off mode in which the device consumes less energy than when in the on mode and including a housing which defines an opening of an inlet for a sample to be analyzed by the device, the method comprising:

remotely providing a control instruction to a controller communicatively coupled with an actuator, the controller being configured to activate the actuator to operate a switch on the device when power is applied to the actuator, the actuator configured to be activated to operate the switch to cause the device to switch between the off mode and the on mode, the actuator for causing a cap mounted to the inlet of the device to change between a closed configuration where the cap closes the opening of the device and an open configuration where the cap allows access to the inlet of the device, the control instruction for causing the cap to allow access to the inlet and cause activation of the device in order to allow the device to run an analysis,

wherein the cap includes an inner sleeve defining an aperture that allows access to the inlet, and the cap includes an outer sleeve that allows access to the aperture in the open configuration of the cap and forms a peripheral seal that blocks the aperture in the closed configuration of the cap.