# US 10,373,307 B2 · Method and device for checking a joint between two components of a medical device

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- Number: US 10,373,307 B2
- Document ID: US10373307B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/556,905
- Filed: 2016-03-11
- Published: 2018-02-01
- Granted: 2019-08-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-03-11
- Assignees: Industrie Borla S.p.A.
- Applicants: Industrie Borla S.p.A.
- Inventors: Gianni Guala
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10373307B2

## CPC

- G06T 7/0004: {Industrial image inspection}
- A61M 5/1411: {Drip chambers (A61M5/1689, A61M5/40 take precedence)}
- A61M 5/162: Needle sets, i.e. connections by puncture between reservoir and tube
- A61M 5/3213: {Caps placed axially onto the needle, e.g. equipped with finger protection guards (axially-extensible protective sleeves A61M5/3243)}
- A61M 5/34: Constructions for connecting the needle {, e.g. to syringe nozzle or needle hub (connecting catheter tubes to hubs A61M25/0014)}
- G01N 21/91: using penetration of dyes, e.g. fluorescent ink
- A61M 2205/3313: used specific wavelengths
- A61M 2205/70: with testing or calibration facilities
- A61M 2207/00: Methods of manufacture, assembly or production
- G06T 2207/10048: Infrared image
- G06T 2207/30204: Marker
- G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

A method for checking a faultless joint between a first and a second component of a medical device, namely a drip chamber and a spike, wherein the first component has an annular coupling edge facing downwardly to be sprayed interiorly with a liquid solvent. The solvent is mixed with a tracer detectable through ultraviolet or infrared light and the coupling edge is illuminated with a ultraviolet or infrared light so as to make an image of the sprayed solvent, which is reflected and captured by an electronic scanning device configured to establish whether such image is faultless, visible through a tracer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for checking a faultless joint between a first and a second component of a medical device, the method comprising:
connecting said first and second components to each other along a common vertical axis utilizing a rotary turntable by arranging the first component with a respective annular coupling edge facing downwardly and spraying the edge interiorly, from beneath upwards, with a liquid glue or solvent and then axially engaging the edge with a corresponding annular coupling edge facing upwardly of the second component, thereby making said first and second components mutually fixed so as to form said medical device,
said glue or solvent mixed with a tracer detectable by ultraviolet or infrared light,
passing ultraviolet or infrared light through a semi-transparent mirror and illuminating said coupling edge of the first component with the ultraviolet or infrared light after the spraying the edge with the glue or solvent, the illuminating with the ultraviolet or infrared light being along a first direction forming a first angle with said vertical axis, so as to make an image of the sprayed glue or solvent visible by means of said tracer,
reflecting said image by said semi-transparent mirror along a second direction and capturing said image by an electronic scanning device configured to determine whether said image is without defects, and discarding said medical device if said image has defects, and.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein the electronic scanning device is a video camera.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first component comprises a drip chamber.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the second component comprises a spike.

### Claim 5

A device for checking a faultless joint between a first and a second component of a medical device, said device comprising:
a gluing station comprising a rotary turntable, said gluing station configured to spray glue or solvent on an edge of respective annular coupling edges of first and second components according a to common vertical axis to connect the edges to each other, the glue or solvent mixed with a tracer detectable by means of ultraviolet or infrared light;
a light source adapted to direct ultraviolet or infrared light through a semi-transparent mirror to illuminate said coupling edges, after being sprayed with the glue or solvent, the directing of the ultraviolet or infrared light along a first direction forming a first angle with said vertical axis, so as to make an image of the sprayed glue or solvent visible by means of said tracer,
a video camera for capturing said image, and
said semitransparent mirror reflecting said image along a second direction toward said video camera,
said light source, said semi-transparent mirror, and said video camera located outside said rotary turntable.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, wherein the first component comprises a drip chamber.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The device of claim 5, wherein the second component comprises a spike.