Intraoperative tracking devices and processes

Apparatus for tracking articles, comprising:

• a. at least one disposable container which contains at least one retention section for retaining articles which have been placed in the container, and at least one port through which the articles may be introduced into the retention section;
• b. at least one load cell adapted to determine the weight of the articles, which load cell comprises a parallelogram-like structure that includes two substantially vertical members connected flexibly to two substantially horizontal members, one of which vertical members is connected to the container and a transducer for imparting a signal to the processor means corresponding to the deformation of the transducer, and the other of which vertical members is connected to the apparatus;
• c. structure adapted to suspend the container from the load cell in a manner that places the load imposed by the container and the articles on the load cell;
• d. a plurality of optical sensors corresponding to each port, adapted to sense passage of articles through the port;
• e. at least one identity sensor for detecting identity markers attached to the articles;
• f. processor means and memory means adapted to receive input signals from the load cell, the optical sensors and the identity sensors in order to calculate weight and counts of the articles;
• and
• g. a display for displaying cumulative weights and counts of the articles.

Apparatus for tracking articles, comprising:

• a. at least one disposable container featuring at least one port through which the articles may be introduced into the container;
• b. at least one load cell adapted to determine the weight of the articles;
• c. structure adapted to suspend the container from the load cell in a manner that places the load imposed by the container and the articles on the load cell;
• d. a plurality of optical sensors that correspond to each port, adapted to sense passage of articles through the port;
• e. processor means and memory means adapted to receive input signals from the load cell and the optical sensors in order to calculate weight and counts of the articles, which processor and memory means contain means for allowing the load cell to settle before weight is registered;
• and
• f. a display for displaying cumulative volumes received from cumulative weights and cumulative counts of the articles.

Apparatus for tracking articles, comprising:

• a. at least one disposable container which includes a receptacle featuring at least one retention section for retaining articles which have been placed in the container, and a top member sorting grid which contains at least one port through which the articles may be introduced into the retention sections and which is adapted to be borne by structure of the apparatus;
• b. at least one load cell adapted to determine the weight of the articles which load cell comprises a parallelogram-like structure that includes two substantially vertical members connected flexibly to two substantially horizontal members, one of which vertical members is connected to the container and a transducer for imparting a signal to the processor means corresponding to the deformation of the transducer, and the other of which vertical members is connected to the apparatus;
• c. structure adapted to suspend the container from the load cell in a manner that places the load imposed by the container and the articles on the load cell;
• d. a plurality of sensors corresponding to each port, adapted to sense passage of articles through the port;
• e. processor means and memory means adapted to receive input signals from the load cell and the sensors in order to calculate weight and counts of the articles;
• and
• f. a display for displaying cumulative weights and counts of the articles.

Apparatus for tracking articles, comprising:

• a. at least one disposable container for receiving the articles;
• b. at least one load cell adapted to determine the weight of the articles, which load cell comprises structure connected to the apparatus and to the container, and coupled to the processor and memory means, which structure is adapted to constrain loads imparted by the container and the articles to act and to be sensed only in a substantially vertical direction;
• c. structure adapted to suspend the container from the load cell in a manner that places the load imposed by the container and the articles on the load cell;
• d. a plurality of sensors adapted to sense passage of articles into the container;
• e. processor means and memory means adapted to receive input signals from the load cell and the sensors in order to calculate weight and counts of the articles;
• and
• f. a display for displaying cumulative weights and counts of the articles.

A container for receiving and retaining articles, and adapted to be employed in connection with apparatus for tracking the articles, which apparatus includes at least one load cell for determining the weight of the container and the articles, and sensors adapted to sense presence of the articles within the container, which container comprises:

• a. a receptacle formed of plastic, nonrigid, material, which includes at least one retention section, each for retaining a separate version of article;
• b. a top member which is at least quasi-rigid, which is connected to the receptacle and adapted to be borne by structure of the apparatus so that the container is suspended from the load cell, and which includes at least one port corresponding to a retention section of the receptacle;
• and
• c. a region contained in the receptacle which permits passage of at least a portion of the energy emitted by the sensors to penetrate the receptacle for sensing the presence of the articles.

A container for receiving and retaining articles, and adapted to be employed in connection with apparatus for tracking the articles, which apparatus includes at least one load cell for determining the weight of the container and the articles, and sensors adapted to sense presence of the articles within the container, which container comprises:

• a. a receptacle which includes a plurality of walls formed of flexible plastic material that define at least one retention section, each retention section adapted to receive and retain a version of article different than that retained in other retention sections, and the walls tapering inward toward the bottom of the receptacle to ease deployment of the container in the apparatus;
• b. a top member connected to the receptacle, which is adapted in size and shape to be borne by structure of the apparatus, which contains at least one port, each corresponding to a retention section of the receptacle;
• c. a region in the container adapted to allow at least partial passage of energy emitted by the optical sensors through the container;
• and
• d. a cover connected to the top member for sealing the container.

Apparatus for tracking articles, comprising:

• a. at least one disposable container which contains at least one retention section for retaining articles which have been placed in the container, and at least two ports through which the articles may be introduced into the retention sections;
• b. at least one load cell adapted to determine the weight of the articles;
• c. structure adapted to suspend the container from the load cell in a manner that places the load imposed by the container and the articles on the load cell;
• d. a plurality of sensors corresponding to each port, adapted to sense passage of articles through the port;
• e. processor means and memory means adapted to receive input signals from the load cell and the sensors in order to calculate weight and counts of the articles, which processor is adapted to track (1) presence or absence of the container on the suspension structure in order to account for articles in a succession of containers;
• (2) input from the load cell;
• (3) input from at least one table containing information relating to dry weight of articles and containers;
• (4) input from the sensors and (5) input from buttons adapted to control operation of the apparatus;
• and to correlate information from the load cell and the sensors in order to track various types of articles contained in the container;
• and
• f. a display for displaying cumulative weights and counts of the articles.

A process for tracking counts of articles placed in a container and weights of materials in the articles, comprising, for each additional article, the steps of:

• a. detecting passage of the article into the container using an optical sensor;
• b. incrementing an article count display coupled to the optical sensor;
• c. sampling input from a load cell, which supports the container, the weight of the container;
• d. when the load cell input changes, averaging the input until the average stabilizes to a Load Value;
• e. referring to a table which contains empty weight of the articles to find a Pending Dry Weight for the article;
• f. subtracting the Pending Dry Weight from the Load Value to estimate a new Estimated Article Contents Value;
• g. displaying the Estimated Article Contents Value;
• h. storing the Load Value as a Current Load Value prior to the time that the load cell input changes;
• i. when the load cell input changes, averaging the input until the average stabilizes to a New Load Value;
• j. subtracting the Current Load Value from the New Load Value to estimate a Load Change Value;
• k. subtracting the Pending Dry Weight from the Load Change Value in order to estimate an increment to the Estimated Article Contents Value;
• and
• l. adding the increment of Estimated Article Contents Value to the Estimated Article Contents Value.