Sterilizer cassette handling system with data link

• US 7,602,284 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Wong, William, Raja, Vishnu R., Choperena, Alfredo M.
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US10/793,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20050197737A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,049 Days
• Field of Search: 340/539.22, 340/539.32, 340/572.1, 340/568.1, 340/10.3, 340/825.36, 340/825.49
• US Class Current: 340/539.22
• 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 a sterilant cassette within a sterilizer comprising the steps of:

reading for a presence of the 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, wherein the identifying information comprises an expiration date;

verifying that a proper cassette is loaded into the sterilizer based upon the identifying information, wherein verifying that a proper cassette is loaded includes determining if the expiration date has passed; and

rejecting the cassette if the expiration date has passed.

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 comprising the step of sequencing use of the antennas by the receiver to identify a location of the cassette.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the cassette comprises an RFID tag for storing data, the stored data comprising the identifying information.

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

10. A method according to claim 9 wherein the data stored on the RFID tag comprises a filling status of a sterilant in the cassette, and wherein the method comprises the step of updating the filling status data as the sterilant is removed from the cassette.

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

12. A method according to claim 11 comprising the steps of draining less than all of the contents of one of the cells and storing this information on the RFID tag.

13. A method according to claim 8 wherein the data stored on the RFID tag comprises temperature information regarding the shipping and storage temperatures to which the cassette has been subjected, and wherein the method comprises removing a quantity of the sterilant from the cassette based on the temperature information.

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

15. A method according to claim 14 comprising removing a quantity of the sterilant from the cassette based on the temperature information.

16. A method according to claim 9 comprising updating the stored data with one or more cycle parameters.

17. A method according to claim 16 comprising updating the stored data with a concentration of sterilant achieved during a cycle.

18. A method according to claim 16 comprising querying the updated data to monitor cycle performance.

19. A method according to claim 9 comprising updating the stored data with an amount of the time the cassette has spent within the sterilizer.

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

21. A method for tracking a sterilant cassette within a sterilizer comprising the steps of:

exchanging information between the cassette and a receiver on the sterilizer via a non-optical electromagnetic signal, wherein the cassette comprises a plurality of cells containing a sterilant; and

rejecting the cassette if an expiration date of the cassette has passed, wherein the exchanged information comprises the expiration date and at least one of;

a sterilization cycle parameter;

a concentration of sterilant achieved during a sterilization cycle; and

a type of cycle for which one or more of the cells is intended.

22. A method according to claim 21, comprising the steps of:

determining the presence of a spent cassette collection box via a non-optical electromagnetic signal; and

determining a filling status of the spent cassette collection box.