Counting unit
AssigneeKARL STORZ Imaging, Inc.
InventorsMichael Augarten, Edward Schifferns
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A counting unit is provided for use in an electrical device. The counting unit is configured to count a thermal event such as an autoclave cleaning operation when the electrical device is not electrically powered. In one aspect, the counting unit includes a rotary member and an actuator, the actuator is configured to change shape from a first configuration to a second configuration when subjected to a predetermined temperature, wherein in the second configuration, the actuator engages the rotary member so as to rotate the rotary member. In another aspect, the counting unit includes a plunger, a drive and a heat resistant arm configured to release the plunger during a thermal event and retain the plunger when the electrical device is cooled down.
Claims17
A counting unit for counting a number of times an electrical device has been sterilized, the counting unit comprising:
- a rotary member configured to rotate about a first axis, the rotary member including a plurality of position indicators fixedly disposed on the rotary member, the position indicators each including binary encoding;
- an actuator configured to engage the rotary member, the actuator configured to change shape from a first configuration to a second configuration when subjected to a predetermined temperature, wherein the actuator engages the rotary member so as to rotate the rotary member when the actuator changes shape from the first configuration to the second configuration;
- and
- a sensor including contact pads in a fixed position and configured to detect a predetermined number of the plurality of position indicators to determine a rotation of the rotary member, the predetermined number of the plurality of position indicators being less than a total number of the plurality of position indicators.
A counting unit for counting a number of times an electrical device has been sterilized, the counting unit comprising:
- a housing having a bore, the bore having a cylindrical shape, the housing having an open end opposite of a closed end, the open end in communication with the bore;
- a plunger disposed within the housing, wherein a first portion of the plunger is disposed within the bore and a second portion of the plunger is disposed outside of the bore, the plunger including a catch disposed on the second portion, the plunger moveable from a seated position to an extended position;
- a second biasing member disposed within the bore of the housing, the second biasing member disposed between the plunger and the closed end of the housing, the second biasing member continuously urging the plunger out of the housing;
- a heat responsive arm movable between an engaged position wherein the heat responsive arm is below a predetermined temperature and locks the plunger in the seated position, and a disengaged position where the heat responsive arm reaches the predetermined temperature and disengages from the plunger;
- a drive electrically powered, the drive operable to overcome a force of the second biasing member and move the plunger from the extended position to the seated position;
- a sensor configured to detect the plunger when the plunger is in the extended position;
- and
- a controller configured to detect and count the number of times the drive moves the plunger from the extended position to the seated position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.