Sterilizer cassette handling system with data link

• US 20050197737A1
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Published: 09/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Alfredo, Choperena M., Wong, William, Raja, Vishnu R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,602,284 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/225
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/186 Peroxide solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/24 Apparatus using programmed or automatic operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/26 Accessories or devices or components used for biocidal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps

Abstract

A cassette handling system for sterilant filled cassettes employs RFID or other electromagnetic signal technology to track the cassettes. A method for tracking the sterilant cassettes includes the steps of reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by transmitting a non-optical electromagnetic signal between the cassette and a receiver on the sterilizer, via the electromagnetic signal transmitting identifying information between the cassette and the receiver, and verifying that a proper cassette is loaded into the sterilizer based upon the identifying information.

Claims

1. A method for tracking sterilant cassettes within a sterilizer comprising the steps of:

reading for the presence of a cassette within a cassette processing area of the sterilizer by transmitting a non-optical electromagnetic signal between the cassette and a receiver on the sterilizer; and

via the electromagnetic signal transmitting identifying information between the cassette and the receiver;

verifying that a proper cassette is loaded into the sterilizer based upon the identifying information.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises a magnetic coupling between the receiver and the cassette.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises an inductive coupling between the receiver and the cassette.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises a conductive coupling between the receiver and the cassette.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic signal comprises a radio frequency transmission.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the receiver comprises one or more antennas.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein the receiver sequences the use of the antennas to identify the location of the cassette.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cassette contains an RFID tag.

9. A method according to claim 8 and further comprising the step of altering a portion of data stored in the RFID tag.

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the cassette the data stored on the RFID tag includes a filling status of sterilant in the cassette and the filling status data is updated when sterilant is removed from the cassette.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein the cassette comprises a plurality of cells containing the sterilant and RFID tag includes a filling status of sterilant in each of the cells and the filling status data for a cell is updated when sterilant is removed from that cell.

12. A method according to claim 10 and further comprising the steps of draining less than all of the contents of one of the cells and storing this information on the tag.

13. A method according to claim 9 wherein the RFID tag contains temperature sensing instrumentation and the data includes temperature information regarding the shipping and storage temperatures to which the cassette has been subjected.

14. A method according to claim 9 wherein the data is updated with one or more cycle parameters.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the data is updated with a concentration of sterilant achieved during a cycle.

16. A method according to claim 9 wherein the data is updated with the amount of time the cassette has spent within the sterilizer.

17. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identifying data includes the type of cycle for which a particular cell or group of cells is intended.

18. A method according to claim 1 wherein the identifying information contains an expiration date and further comprising the step of rejecting the cassette if the expiration date has passed.

19. A method according to claim 1 and further comprising the step of reading the presence and filling status of a spent cassette collection box via a non-optical electromagnetic signal.

20. A cassette comprising one or more cells having therein a liquid sterilant, the cassette further comprising indicia readable electromagnetically and containing identifying data about the cassette including data identifying the liquid sterilant contents thereof.

21. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes a filling status of the one or more cells.

22. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes an expiration date of the liquid sterilant.

23. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes a manufacturing date of the cassette.

24. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes a serial number of the cassette.

25. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes a lot number of the cassette.

26. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the cassette comprises multiple cells and the data includes the filling status of each cell.

27. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the indicia comprises an RFID tag.

28. A cassette according to claim 27 wherein the RFID tag contains updateable memory.

29. A cassette according to claim 28 wherein the updateable memory contains data specifying the filling status of the one or more cells within the cassette.

30. A cassette according to claim 29 wherein the filling status can include data regarding the cell being partially filled.

31. A cassette according to claim 27 wherein the RFID tag contains temperature sensing instrumentation and the data includes temperature information regarding the shipping and storage temperatures to which the cassette has been subjected.

32. A cassette according to claim 27 wherein the updateable data includes one or more cycle parameters.

33. A cassette according to claim 32 wherein the updateable data includes a concentration of sterilant achieved during a cycle.

34. A cassette according to claim 27 wherein the updateable data includes the amount of time the cassette has spent within a sterilizer.

35. A cassette according to claim 20 wherein the data includes a maximum amount of time the cassette may reside within a sterilizer.

36. A spent cassette collection box for receiving spent cassettes from a sterilizer, the spent cassette collection box comprising a bottom wall, upstanding walls attached to the bottom wall which extend upwards to terminate in an upper edge, and indicia readable electromagnetically and containing identifying data about the spent cassette collection box including data identifying its capacity to receive cassettes.

37. A spent cassette collection box according to claim 36 wherein the indicia is an RFID tag.

38. A spent cassette collection box according to claim 37 wherein the RFID tag further includes updateable data including a quantity of cassettes currently therein.