Devices and methods for locking and unlocking mechanical equipment
AssigneeInnovative Orthopedic Technologies, Iot AG
InventorManfred Menzi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electronic locking device for selectively locking a medical device includes an antenna configured to wirelessly receive information from an identification tag, wherein the identification tag comprises unlocked duration period data, a motor coupled to the antenna, and a locking pin coupled to the motor, wherein the motor is configured to transition the locking pin from a locked position to an unlocked position for a predetermined period of time prescribed by the unlocked duration period data in response to an unlocking signal received by the antenna from the identification tag, wherein the locking pin is configured to prevent usage of the medical device in the locked position and allow usage of the medical device in the unlocked position.
Claims21
An electronic locking device for selectively locking a medical device, comprising:
- an antenna configured to wirelessly receive information from an identification tag, wherein the identification tag comprises unlocked duration period data;
- a motor coupled to the antenna;
- and
- a locking pin coupled to the motor;
- wherein the motor is configured to simultaneously withdraw the locking pin from a locked position to an unlocked position spaced from the locked position and allow usage of the medical device for a predetermined period of time prescribed by the unlocked duration period data in response to an unlocking signal received by the antenna from the identification tag, wherein the locking pin is configured to prevent usage of the medical device in the locked position.
A medical device for performing a surgical or diagnostic procedure on a patient, the medical device comprising:
- a base;
- a locking member moveably coupled to the base;
- and
- an electronic locking device coupled to the base, the electronic locking device comprising:
- an antenna configured to wirelessly receive information from an identification tag, wherein the identification tag comprises unlocked duration period data;
- a motor coupled to the antenna;
- and
- a locking pin coupled to the motor;
- wherein the motor is configured to simultaneously withdraw the locking pin from a first position to a second position spaced from the first position and allow usage of the medical device for a predetermined period of time prescribed by the unlocked duration period data in response to an unlocking signal received by the antenna from the identification tag, wherein the locking pin is configured to restrict relative movement between the locking member and the base in the first position and allow relative movement between the locking member and the base in the second position.
A method for controllably locking a medical device using an electronic locking device, comprising:
- preventing use of the medical device with the electronic locking device coupled to the medical device;
- wirelessly communicating an unlocking signal from an identification tag to the electronic locking device coupled to the medical device;
- wirelessly communicating unlocked duration period data from the identification tag to the electronic locking device;
- actuating a motor of the electronic locking device to simultaneously withdraw a locking pin from a locked position to an unlocked position spaced from the locked position and allow usage of the medical device in response to receiving the unlocking signal from the identification tag;
- and
- actuating the motor to advance the locking pin from the unlocked position to the locked position to prevent use of the medical device after a predetermined period of time prescribed by the unlocked duration period data.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.