Repair or refurbishment of limited use medical devices
AssigneeMedline Industries, Inc.
InventorsRichard Walton, Harold D. Pogue, Richard L. McCulley, JR., James Patrick Wiggins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A powered medical device includes electronic components on a circuit board embedded within the body of a plug for connecting the device with a control apparatus. The medical device may be repaired or refurbished without the need to access the embedded circuit board through the use of a supplemental circuit board installed into the open end of the plug adjacent the plug pins. The supplemental circuit board may include a variety of electronic components, including fuses or non-volatile memory.
Claims20
A plug adapted to connect the medical device to a device controller, the plug comprising:
- a first circuit board comprising a first electronic component, wherein the first electronic component performs a function when the plug is connected a first time and the first electronic component is disabled from performing the function when the plug is connected a subsequent time;
- and
- a second circuit board comprising a second electronic component, wherein the second electronic component performs the function when the plug is connected the subsequent time.
A plug adapted to connect the medical device to a device controller, the plug comprising:
- an electrical contact;
- a first electronic component electrically connected with the electrical contact, wherein the first electronic component performs a function when the plug is connected a first time and the first electronic component is disabled from performing the function when the plug is connected a subsequent time;
- and
- a second electronic component, wherein the second electronic component performs the function when the plug is connected the subsequent time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.