System for charging battery and operation method therefor

Abstract

To provide a system and a method for wirelessly charging a medical device battery comprising a charging module and a battery container.SOLUTION: A system 700 includes a battery, a battery container 70 including a plurality of receptacles, and a charging device 402 including a plurality of charging bays 416. Each receptacle is shaped to receive the battery. Each charging bay 416 is shaped to receive each respective receptacle of the plurality of receptacles and includes a first antenna for providing charging power to the battery, a second antenna for communicating with a battery controller, and a charger controller. The charger controller detects the presence of the battery within a receptacle associated with the charging bay 416 and provides charging power to the battery.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7A

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to batteries for medical devices. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to: The present invention relates to a system and method for wirelessly charging a medical device battery.

[0002] [CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS] This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 563,2 filed on September 26, 2017. No. 45, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. is incorporated herein in its entirety. [Background technology]

[0003] Non-rechargeable batteries are known as primary batteries, while rechargeable batteries are known as secondary batteries. The secondary battery is repeatedly charged, stores a charge, and is used with the surgical instrument in which it is attached. Secondary batteries can provide electrical charge to medical devices such as surgical instruments. It has become a reliable power source for powered surgical instruments used to perform surgical procedures. The use of a battery eliminates the need for a power cord connected to an external power source. Compared to corded surgical instruments, the elimination of the power cord offers benefits. Surgical personnel using this type of instrumentation can bring it into the sterile surgical field surrounding the patient. or to prevent a non-sterile cord from being inadvertently introduced into the surgical field during surgery. You don't have to worry about making sure that the code doesn't get lost. This eliminates the physical clutter and visual obstruction that cords inherently introduce into a surgical procedure.

[0004] Batteries used to power surgical instruments are not considered to be batteries used for non-medical purposes. Batteries are exposed to adverse environmental factors that they are rarely exposed to. For example, during surgical procedures, The medical battery may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids. tissue may become attached to the battery, thus posing a risk of infection to the patient during the course of a medical procedure. To eliminate the risk of infection, sterilize the battery or keep it sterile between surgical procedures. It is a necessary practice to ensure that the device is housed in a sealed housing. The battery must be sterilizable or the device in which it is placed must be sterilizable. A sterilizable battery may be a non-sterile battery with a sterilizable housing. In this case, the cleaning / sterilization process usually removes contaminants that are easily visible to the naked eye on the surface of the battery. However, these events may result in: A conductive bridge can form between the battery contacts, causing one of the contacts to This may result in the formation of a metal oxide layer on one or more of the surfaces. , the efficiency of the battery charging and the efficiency of the battery providing charge to the appliance to which it is coupled. It acts as an impedance layer, lowering both

[0005] The batteries are also immersed in a vapor-filled chamber as part of the autoclave process. Special vacuums may be used to withstand the high temperatures present during the autoclave process. Autoclave temperatures cannot exceed 130 degrees Celsius. Even special batteries designed to withstand autoclave temperatures can be damaged by autoclaves. There is no damage to the battery during the excavation process (conventional batteries used in other environments Although less damaging than the autoclave, it can still occur. Batteries used in medical environments, where batteries are heated, are more susceptible to damage than batteries used in other industries. There is a possibility of injury.

[0006] Additionally, the battery may be charged for a period of time before being connected to a surgical instrument for use in a procedure. Since it may be unused, it may gradually lose charge. Therefore, it is recommended to use a fully charged Batteries that start out in a charged state may gradually lose charge while placed in storage. and may not have the required level of charge when use is desired. Medical professionals using the equipment and associated batteries should ensure that the batteries used in the equipment are of sufficient quality. 500mV and is sufficiently strong to be used in surgical procedures or other potentially critical environments. You need to be confident that your organization has a sufficient level of integrity. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In one embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes one or more The system also includes the above batteries, each battery having a battery controller. The container also includes a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of protrusions, the plurality of receptacles being The plurality of protrusions are shaped to receive one of the batteries, and the plurality of protrusions are shaped to receive a corresponding receptor. The system further includes a charging device having a plurality of charging bays. Each charging bay is shaped to receive a protrusion of the container and includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna is connected to a battery disposed in a receptacle of the container. The battery communicates with the battery controller in response to being within proximity of the charging bay. The second antenna is configured to receive a battery disposed in the receptacle. The charging device is also configured to provide charging power to the battery. , whether communication has been established with the battery in response to the battery being within proximity of the charging bay; and in response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery. and a charging controller configured to provide charging power to the battery via a second antenna. Rollers are also included.

[0008] In another embodiment, a method of operating a system for charging one or more batteries is disclosed. The system includes one or more batteries, each of which is connected to a battery controller. one or more batteries and a plurality of receptacles shaped to receive the batteries. and a container having a plurality of protrusions that correspond to the receptacle and are aligned with the receptacle. The stem also includes a charge controller and one or more chargers configured to receive the protrusions. Each charging bay includes a first antenna and a second antenna. The method further comprises inserting a battery into one of a plurality of receptacles of the container. and placing a battery in one of the plurality of charging bays, the protrusion corresponding to the receptacle being located in the one of the plurality of charging bays. One charging device is located adjacent to the charging bay and the battery is placed within close proximity of the charging bay. and placing the container on the chair. The method also includes placing a container in the receptacle. using a first antenna in response to the placed battery being within proximity of the charging bay. , communicating with a battery controller of the battery using the charge controller; and detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery. Also, the first antenna established communication with a battery disposed within the receptacle. providing charging power to the battery using a second antenna in response to detecting the This also includes the

[0009] In another embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. and a passive communication device coupled to the battery controller. The system also includes a sterile barrier to contain the battery, a charging bay and a charging and a charging device having a controller. The charging bay includes a passive communication device for the battery. The passive communication device is energized to communicate with the battery controller. The charging bay also includes a first antenna configured to establish a signal to the battery. The charging controller also includes a second antenna configured to provide power to the battery. The passive communication device of the cellular phone is energized and the second antenna is deactivated. During this time, communication with the battery controller is established via an energized passive communication device. The charging controller is configured to control the first antenna so as to In addition, the second antenna is connected to the battery controller after the first antenna has established communication with the battery controller. and providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna. It is being done.

[0010] In another embodiment, a method of operating a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes a battery controller and a communication device coupled to the battery controller. The system also includes a sterility barrier to contain the battery and a charging and a charging device having a controller and a charging bay. The charging bay includes a first antenna. The method includes the steps of placing a battery within a sterile barrier; and placing the sterile battery on the charging device. The method also includes: exciting a communication device on the battery using an antenna; establishing communication with the battery controller via the energized communication device; and after the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, activating a second antenna using a charge controller; and providing charging power to the battery using the tenna.

[0011] In another embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes one or more each battery having a battery controller. and one or more sterility barriers for enclosing the one or more batteries, The battery is placed within one of the one or more sterile barriers. The system also includes a charging device having one or more charging bays, the charging bays including a first adapter The first antenna includes a bag enclosed within a sterile barrier and a second antenna. The battery controller of the battery responds when the battery is within proximity of the charging bay. The second antenna is configured to establish communication with a vacant spacer encased within the sterile barrier. The charging device is also configured to provide charging power to the first antenna. The system establishes communication with the battery in response to the battery being within proximity of the charging bay. and in response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery, and a charging controller configured to provide charging power to the battery via a second antenna in response to the It also comes with a controller.

[0012] In another embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes a passive A battery controller coupled to a passive communication device. a battery controller configured to place the battery in a low power state. The system also includes a receptacle shaped to receive the battery, and a The system also includes a container having a protrusion that is aligned with the receptacle. and a charging device having a charging bay configured to receive the charging device and a charging controller. The charging bay excites the passive communication device of the battery and transmits the excited passive communication Establishes communication with the battery controller through the communication device and provides charging power to the battery The charge controller includes one antenna configured to passively charge the battery. The battery controller energizes the battery communication device in response to communication being established. The battery controller is then notified via an energized passive communication device to bring the battery out of a low power state. The charging controller is configured to control the antenna to establish communication with the charging controller. The controller also ensures that the battery controller brings the battery out of a low power state. and receiving authentication data to authenticate the battery via the established communication in response to the and providing charging power to the battery via the antenna in response to authenticating the battery. It is also composed of

[0013] In another embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes a first capacitor. The first container and the second container include a plurality of receptacles and a plurality of and a protrusion, each receptacle shaped to receive a battery, each protrusion comprising: The number and correspondence of the receptacles in the first container are aligned with the corresponding receptacles. The number of projections on the second container is greater than the number of receptacles and corresponding projections on the second container. The system also includes a charging device having a plurality of charging bays, each charging bay including a first The charging bays are configured to receive a protrusion of the first container or a protrusion of the second container, the first container is arranged in a number of rows and a number of columns, the number of columns corresponding to the number of receptacles in the first container. Correspondingly, the number of rows corresponds to the number of receptacles in the second container. an antenna configured to provide charging power to a battery disposed within the receptacle; The charging device also charges a battery located in the receptacle via the antenna. A charge controller configured to provide power is also included.

[0014] Advantages of the present disclosure may be readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: It will be readily understood that the present disclosure is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and will be more fully understood by referring to the following description. Some non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, and unless otherwise specified: In the various drawings, like numerals refer to like parts. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a battery and charger. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a battery attached to a power consuming device. [Diagram 3] FIG. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system including a battery and a wireless charging module. [Figure 4B] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a system including a battery and another embodiment of a wireless charging module. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of various sub-circuits within the battery controller. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary data structure that may be stored in a memory of the battery controller. [Figure 7A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system including one embodiment of a charging module and a battery container. [Figure 7B] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system including a second embodiment of a charging module and multiple battery receptacles. [Figure 7C] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system including a second embodiment of a charging module and multiple battery receptacles. [Figure 7D] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system including a third embodiment of a charging module and a sterilizable wrap. [Figure 8] FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inside of the battery container. [Figure 10] 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for providing charge to a battery. [Figure 11] 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for providing charge to a battery. [Figure 12] 4 is a flowchart of an exemplary method for providing charge to a battery. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it is understood that specific details are not required to practice the present invention. In other instances, known techniques may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Materials or methods are not described in detail.

[0017] Throughout this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "one embodiment," "one example," or "one example" may be used. When reference is made, it is to the specific features, structures or characteristics described in connection with an example or embodiment. is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Throughout the specification, the terms "in one embodiment," "in one embodiment," "in one example," or "in one example" appear in various places. Appearances of the phrase "in one example" do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, it is not necessarily the case that a particular feature, structure or characteristic is applicable to one or more embodiments or examples. They can be combined in any suitable combination and / or subcombination. In addition, the figures provided herewith are for explanatory purposes to persons skilled in the art. It will be understood that it has not necessarily been drawn to scale.

[0018] The present disclosure relates to a wireless charging module having at least one charging bay. Specifically described is an autoclavable battery that can be Able to be sterilized and to maintain the sterility of the volume contained therein In other words, the battery can be placed in a battery container that can maintain the The battery container keeps the contents of the battery container sterile until the battery container is opened. The battery container is then transferred to a charging module. The battery can also be charged while inside the sterile volume. The battery can also communicate with the charging module while inside the sterile volume. While the battery is being transferred to the charging module, the battery and its internal components are in a low power state. could be.

[0019] When a battery is placed in proximity to a charging bay, a communications antenna associated with the charging bay detects the It generates an electromagnetic field that is used to communicate with battery communication devices. The power antenna is also associated with the communication antenna, and the power antenna is disabled when the communication antenna is enabled. In one embodiment, the battery communication device includes a built-in antenna. In other embodiments, other tags, such as RFID tags, may be used. A gyroscope, a gyroscope, or other suitable circuitry coupled to the antenna may be used. When energized by the magnetic field, the battery communication device comes out of a low power state and communicates with the charging module. In one embodiment, the tag antenna is energized or the battery is When paired with the charging module, the battery controller, charging circuitry, etc. All other components are allowed to exit the low power state.

[0020] After the battery and charging module are paired, the charging module will Receive battery status data from the tag, such as status data and battery health data. The module may be backed by one or more indicators, such as within the display area of ​​the module. The charging module can also retrieve battery operation data from the tag. It can also receive data.

[0021] Upon receiving the battery status data and / or battery operation data, the charging module: It checks if the battery is ready to charge by sending a related request to the battery. The battery displays a message indicating it is ready to be charged. If the page responds to the request, the charging module begins the charging process.

[0022] The charging module disables the communication antenna and powers the charging bay associated with the battery. By enabling the antenna, the charging process can begin. The antenna generates an electromagnetic field that inductively couples to a corresponding antenna in the battery. The battery antenna provides charging power to the battery cell, which charges the battery cell. After a certain period of time has elapsed, the charger controller disables the power antenna and Re-enable the communication antenna and charge the communication antenna and battery communication device You can start the process again by pairing the device with the battery. In this way, the charger controller receives periodic updates from the battery and It may be determined whether additional power should be wirelessly provided to the battery.

[0023] With the above overview in mind, further details of the battery will now be described with reference to FIGS. A medical device that can be used with the battery will now be described with reference to FIG. A charging module that can be used to provide charge to the battery is shown in Figure 4. 7. A data buffer for storing data relating to the battery and the charging cycle. The structure of the battery transporter is described with reference to FIG. 6. The battery container for charging the battery will be described with reference to Figs. 8 and 9. This will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a battery 30 and a charging module 40 according to one embodiment. In the battery compartment, there are one or more rechargeable cells that can store an electric charge (as shown in FIG. 3). In a typical configuration, the charging module 40 is configured to releasably retain the battery. The charging module 40 has at least one socket 42. There is a power source shown at 44. Also inside the charging module 40 is a virtual rectangular block 46. When the battery 30 is coupled to the charging module 40, the charger controller A power source 44 applies a charging current to the battery cells 32. A charger controller 46 controls the power source 44. The charger controller 46 also regulates the charging of the battery 30. It can also retrieve data from and write data to other memories. A variety of charger configurations are contemplated.

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates a power consuming medical device 50 coupled to a battery 30. As shown in FIG. The medical device may include an electric motor (sometimes called a surgical handpiece) that performs the surgical procedure. A surgical instrument 50. In another embodiment, the medical device 50 is a tethered surgical head. The pieces may include, without limitation, lighting, cameras, speakers, and microphones. and sensors, etc., powered by a battery 30 and intended for use by medical professionals. It may be any other equipment that is otherwise adapted to perform the functions described above. For this reason, the subsequent description of the medical device 50 will generally refer to the medical device 50 as shown in the drawings and in more detail. This is done with reference to the powered surgical instrument described below in this specification. The description of the various components and features of the surgical instruments described herein may be used in conjunction with other types of medical devices. This also applies to

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the instrument 50 has a housing 52 that is pistol shaped. The rear end of tool housing 52 is configured to releasably receive battery 30 . The powered surgical tool 50 utilizes electrical energy drawn from the battery cells 32 to perform a medical procedure. or other forms of energy useful for performing the surgical procedure. In the illustrated embodiment, the power generating component or unit is represented by dashed rectangle 54. Many powered surgical tools have a coupling assembly represented by ring 56. The mating assembly 56 releasably attaches the energy applicator to the power generating component. The energy applicator is adapted to apply the energy output by the power generating unit to a medical device. The power generating unit 5 is the device that actually applies the power to the target area where the therapeutic treatment is being performed. If 4 is a motor, the energy applicator may be what is called a cutting accessory. For simplicity, the instrument power generating components are assumed to be the components that other instruments need to draw current in order to function. The motor 54 will be referred to hereafter, even though the motor may include other power generating devices, including a power generating device such as a motor 54.

[0027] The instrument 50 also includes at least one manually actuable control member. The device has two triggers 58. The triggers 58 are actuated by a medical professional to regulate the actuation of the device. Also inside the device is a control module 60. The control module 60 Other components within the control module include components that monitor the operation of the trigger 58. In response to actuation of the control motor 58, the battery cells 32 are selectively connected to the tool motor 54. One of these other components within module 60 is an instrument processor 62 .

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3, the exemplary battery 30 includes a shell 70 having a One or more rechargeable cells 32 are installed. In one embodiment, the cells 32 are connected in series with each other. The cell cluster is disposed at the base of the shell 70. The shell 70 is placed on top of a foam pad 34. A lid 7 is placed on top of the open top end of the shell 70. 2 are hermetically arranged. The battery 30 is intended for medical / surgical applications. When assembled, the shell 70 and lid 72 are arranged together to form an autoclavable housing. A lid 72 can be attached to the shell 70 as shown in FIG. The battery head 76 can be configured to be in and out of the charger socket 42. and / or dimensioned to fit against the rear end of the instrument housing 52. 76 is provided with power contacts 78 and 80 and (optionally) data contact 82. The power contacts 78 and 80 are electrically conductive members through which the surgical instrument 50 passes electrical current. Contact 78 is the negative terminal of battery 30 and contact 80 is the positive terminal of battery 30. In one embodiment including one or more data contacts 82, data and command signals are Data is written into and read from the battery 30 through data contacts 82. Thus, the battery 30 communicates with the instrument processor 62 using the data contacts 82. These signals can be transmitted using a suitable wired communication protocol. In other embodiments, the data contact 82 can be omitted and the data and The instructions can be wirelessly written into and read from the battery 30. In some embodiments, the battery head can be removed from the lid 72 and from the battery 30. The lead 76, the power contacts 78 and 80, and the data contact 82 may be omitted.

[0029] A latch 85 is pivotally attached to the battery cover 72. The latch 85 is The rear end of the housing 52 holds the battery 30. A pin 86 holds the latch 85 to the lid 72. A spring 84 biases a portion of the latch 85 away from the adjacent surface of the lid 72.

[0030] A circuit board 36 is attached to the cell cluster so as to be disposed between the cell 32 and the lid 72. The circuit board 36 selectively connects the cells 32 to the anode contacts 80 and the cathode contacts 78. In one embodiment, the circuit board 36 holds the components described herein. A battery controller 38 is provided to control the operation of the battery as will be more fully described below. or coupled to a battery controller 38.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, cell 32 is a lithium ion cell. Examples include, but are not limited to, lithium ion ceramic cells, lithium iron phosphate cells, lithium Lithium iron phosphorous oxynitride cells, lithium ion Any suitable nickel-magnesium-cobalt cell or lithium-tin-phosphorus-sulfide cell may be used. In an alternative embodiment, the cell 32 may be a lead-acid or lithium chemistry cell. The cells may be acid or any other suitable type of cell. Each cell is appropriately charged. and lithium iron phosphate, which have a nominal cell voltage of 3.3VDC. In most embodiments, the cells are connected in series with each other. The battery 30 includes three series-connected cells 32. Thus, this version of the battery 30 The output is configured to output a voltage potential of approximately 9.9 VDC. In an embodiment, at least some of the battery cells 32 are connected in parallel with each other. It is possible.

[0032] The physical structure of the battery 30 may also vary from that described and illustrated. For example, one or more of the contacts 78 and 80 may be attached directly to the housing 52 rather than to the lid 72. Similarly, the circuit board 36 that holds the electrical components inside the battery 30 can be Instead of being attached to the cell cluster, it can be attached to the housing 52 or the lid 72. do.

[0033] FIG. 4A is a block diagram of a system 400 including a charging module 402 and a battery 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A, the charging module 402 is connected to the battery 30 via wires. A wireless charging module that provides a wireless charging signal to wirelessly charge the battery 30. FIG. 4B is a block diagram of a system 400′, an alternative embodiment of the system 400. The system 400' includes a charging module 402, which is an embodiment of the charging module 402. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4B, the charging module 402′ also provides a wireless charging signal to the battery 30 to wirelessly charge the battery 30. It is a wireless charging module that charges the device via a USB port.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4A, the charging module 402 includes a power source 404 and a charger controller 404. 08, a memory 410, and one or more indicator devices 414. The module 402 also includes a charger power antenna 406 and a charger communication antenna 412. A charging bay 416 is also included. In one embodiment, the charging module 402 (see FIG. 1) ) charging device such as charging module 40. 02, placing the battery 30 on the device to wirelessly charge the battery 30; It can be used as a wireless mat, tray, inspection station or other charging surface. Alternatively, the charging module 402 can be embedded in the instrument 50 or another suitable device. It is possible.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 4B, the charging module 402′ includes a power source 404 and a charger controller 406. 408, a memory 410, and one or more indicator devices 414. However, charging module 402' also includes charging bay 416, which is one embodiment of charging bay 416. The charging bay 416' also includes a power antenna 406 and a charger communication antenna 4116. The present invention has one antenna 413 configured to perform two tasks. Antenna 413 is referred to herein as power antenna 406 and charger communication antenna 412. The present invention may be configured to perform any of the operations described as being performed by the In some embodiments, the charging module 402' is a wireless power consortium (Qi) charger.

[0036] The power supply 404 may be used to energize other components of the charging module 402. In FIG. 4A, the power supply 404 also converts the line current into a signal that can be transmitted to the antenna 406. The charger power antenna can provide wireless charging power to the battery 30. In FIG. 4B, the power supply 404 also generates a signal that is applied to the antenna 413 can provide wireless charging power to the battery 30. 3 generates a signal that is applied to

[0037] The charger power antenna 406 of FIG. 4A receives a signal from the power source 404 and transmits the signal to the The wireless charging signal is then transmitted wirelessly to the battery 30. The signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal that can be received by the antenna 422 of the battery 30. Thus, the charger power antenna 406 is a transmitter that transmits a charging signal to the battery 30. Similarly, antenna 413 in FIG. 4B receives a signal from power source 404. and converting the signal into a wireless charging signal that is wirelessly transmitted to the battery 30 to charge the battery. The battery 30 may be configured to transmit a charge signal to the battery 30.

[0038] In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 may include transistors, switches, or other A switching device (not shown), such as a It can be selectively enabled and disabled. Thus, the communication antenna 412 In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 is a switching device. 406. The antenna 406 can be deactivated. Similarly, the charger controller 40 8, the antenna 413 receives a signal from the power source 404 and transmits the signal wirelessly to the battery 30. and / or transmit a charging signal to the battery 30. The ability to do so can be selectively enabled and disabled.

[0039] The charger controller 408 regulates the power supply 404 to provide a suitable current, voltage and frequency. The charger may include a processor that provides a signal to the charger power antenna 406 having the signal. The charger controller 408 may, for example, detect when the battery 30 requires more charge (as in the present invention). In response to a charging request (hereinafter referred to as a charging request), the charging device 10 controls the provision of a charging signal to the battery 30. When the battery controller 408 receives a charging request from the battery 30, the battery controller 408 It is possible to determine whether a device has a sufficient level of health to be powered. In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 may be configured to receive battery health data from the battery 30. If the battery health data meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, The charger controller 408 acknowledges the charging request and notifies the power source 404 of the charger power adapter. Instruct the antenna 406 or antenna 413 to provide a charging signal to the battery 30. do.

[0040] The memory 410 is a computer readable memory device coupled to the charger controller 408. In one embodiment, the memory 410 is a device or unit. The memory 410 is a non-volatile random access memory (NOVRAM). When executed by the controller 408, the charging In one embodiment, the memory 410 also includes In addition, data indicative of the health and / or state of charge of the battery 30 may also be stored. In an embodiment, the battery 30 stores data representative of the health and / or state of charge of the battery 30. The charger communication antenna 412 transmits the health data and and transmits charging status data to the charger controller 408, which The data is stored in memory 410. Memory 410 stores the In one embodiment, the charger is a flash memory, such as flash memory 504. The antenna 412 is connected to the battery 30 when the battery 30 is not powered and / or when the battery The data representing the health and / or charge state of the battery 30 can be displayed without communicating with the controller 38. The data can be received.

[0041] The charger communication antenna 412 is adapted to communicate bidirectionally with the battery communication device 424. In one embodiment, the charger communication antenna 412 can be configured to receive the 0 and transmits the battery health and / or charge status data to the charger. In addition, the charger communication antenna 412 provides the 408. The charger controller 408 may receive a charging request from the charger 406. Similarly, the antenna 413 of FIG. 4B can be connected to both the battery communication device 424 and and receiving battery health and / or state of charge data from memory 410. and provides that data to the charger controller 408 and receives charging requests from the battery 30. and can be configured to transmit the charging request to the charger controller 408.

[0042] In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 may include transistors, switches, or other A switching device (not shown), such as a It can be selectively enabled and disabled. Thus, the power antenna 406 In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 is a switching device. 412. The antenna 412 can be deactivated. Similarly, the charger controller 4 08, the antenna 413 communicates bidirectionally with the battery communication device 424 and the memory 41 0 and transmits the battery health and / or charge status data to the charger. controller 408 to receive a charging request from the battery 30 and to The ability to transmit to the device controller 408 can be selectively enabled and disabled.

[0043] The indicator device 414 indicates the status of the charging module 402 and / or the battery 30. The indicator device 414 may be a display, a speaker, a light-emitting diode, or the like. The display may include at least one light source such as a LED (light emitting diode). , LCD, LED, or other type of display. In one embodiment, multiple indicators are used to indicate the charging module 402, 402' and / or The indicator device can indicate the status of the battery 30. The light source 414 is one or more LEDs. In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 based on battery health data and / or state of charge data received from the battery 30. When the indicator device 414 is activated, one or more indicator devices 414 may be activated. For example, If the battery health data meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the charger controller 4 08 allows the LED to emit green (or another suitable color). Battery Health If the quality data is below a predetermined threshold, the charger controller 408 will turn the LED red ( or another suitable color). Thus, the indicator device 414 In this way, the user can be informed of the overall health status of the battery 30. The data device 414 may also or alternatively be used to indicate the state of charge of the battery 30. For example, the indicator device 414 may indicate when the battery 30 is fully charged. When the battery 30 is not in use, it emits a first color of light, and when the battery 30 is fully charged, it emits a second color of light. The battery 30 may include one or more LEDs or other light sources. may include one or more indicator devices 414 to indicate the battery status to the user. It is further contemplated that the battery 30 may itself function as a light source, display or A speaker may be provided.

[0044] In one embodiment, the charging modules 402 each include a separate power antenna 406 and A number of charging bays 416 may be provided, each equipped with a communication antenna 412. The charging module 402' includes a number of charging bays 416' each including an antenna 413. Thus, each charging bay 416 and 416' may be referred to herein as Shaped and sized to receive a separate battery 30 as will be fully described. For example, the charging modules 402 and 402' each have two charging modules of similar shape. The battery bays 416, 416' or 416' may be configured to accommodate batteries having different shapes and / or sizes. Two or more charging bays 416, 416' may be provided, each of a different shape, so that Therefore, each charging bay 416 may include a The battery 30 can communicate with each other via a communication antenna 412. The battery 30 can be provided with charging power via the power antenna 406. Each charging bay 416' may include a charging port 416' disposed within or adjacent to the charging bay 416'. The battery 30 can communicate with each other via an antenna 413. Charging power can be provided to the battery 30 via the power supply 413. 416′ may be configured as a recessed volume within the surface of the charger. The charger modules 402, 402' are each a plurality of chargers each having the same shape and size. Each may include a charging bay 416, 416'.

[0045] In one embodiment, each power antenna 406 in each charging bay 416 is Provides charging power only when placed in or adjacent to the charging bay 416 Therefore, if the battery 30 is in or near the charging bay 416, When not placed side-by-side (i.e., when the charger controller 408 is not in the charging bay 416 If the charger controller 408 does not detect the battery 30 in close proximity to the deactivates or otherwise disables the power antenna 406 of that charging bay 416 It can be made unavailable to conserve power.

[0046] As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the battery 30 includes a battery controller 38 and an amplifier. a gate 426; a temperature sensor 422; one or more cells 32; a battery communication device 424; , and a charging circuit 428. The battery 30 also includes a charging module A tag 402, such as an NFC or RFID tag, can be used to communicate with the The battery components described herein may also include a rechargeable battery 30 (shown in FIG. 3). The tag 430 may be included in a circuit board such as the circuit board 36. In one embodiment, the tag 430 may be , via an electromagnetic field, such as the electromagnetic field generated by the communication antenna 412 of the charging module 402. It is a passive tag that is inductively powered by a

[0047] The battery controller 38 may be any suitable controller, microcontroller or It may be or include a microprocessor. The roller 38 comprises several different sub-circuits, as illustrated in FIG. Battery controller 38 determines when battery 30 is in a low power state, as described herein. The power supply controls when the battery 30 is turned off and when the battery 30 exits a low power state.

[0048] The antenna 422 is configured to receive a wireless charging signal from the charging module 402. Specifically, the antenna 422 is a power antenna 422 of the charging module 402. 06 and using the signal to charge the cell 32. The power supply 424 is configured to convert the received power to a current that is sent to the charging circuit 428 for use.

[0049] The cells 32 are used to store charge within the battery 30. In one embodiment, The cells 32 are free from or subject to reduced damage during sterilization (e.g., during an autoclave process). The cell 32 may be a high temperature cell configured to maintain functionality with damage. Provide insulation to minimize damage during the sterilization or autoclave cycle. The heat insulating material can be polyimide aerogel, silica aerogel or carbon aerogel. The number and type of the cells 32 in the battery can be The types can, of course, be different from those described.

[0050] The battery communication device 424 is configured to allow the battery controller 38 to communicate with the appliance 50, the charging module 402, and / or a computing device such as a tablet or server. In one embodiment, the transmitter and receiver can be The battery communication device 424 may include a tag 430. Alternatively, the battery communication The device 424 and the tag 430 are separate devices. The transmitter / receiver may be a radio frequency (RF) transceiver or an infrared (IR) transceiver. In some embodiments, the battery communication device 424 is a Bluetooth transceiver. When the battery 30 is connected to the device 50 or the charging module 402, the battery The telecommunications device 424 may be connected to the instrument 50 (or to another suitable medical device) or to a charging The battery communication device 424 exchanges signals with a complementary transceiver in the module 402. In one embodiment, in which the battery communication device 424 is a wireless transceiver, the battery communication device 424 is limited However, any wireless device, including ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc. Data may be transmitted and received wirelessly using any of a variety of protocols and / or technologies. Alternatively, the battery communication device 424 may communicate with the instrument 50 and and / or a wired transceiver for transmitting data to and from a computing device. The user can use the battery communication device 424 to communicate with the battery 30, the charging module, 402 and / or the device 50 and / or the battery 30, charging module The data may be received from the module 402 and / or the instrument 50.

[0051] The battery communication device 424 may communicate with the instrument 50 and / or the battery 30 to authenticate the instrument 50 and / or the battery 30. and / or The medical device communication module can receive authentication data from the medical device communication module. The communication device 424 can allow the charging module 402 to authenticate the battery 30. Thus, the authentication data can be transmitted to the charging module 402. The battery 30, charging module 402 and / or device 50 may be It can be ensured that only compatible components are used together.

[0052] Gate 426 includes one or more circuit structures that selectively couple cell 32 to contacts 78 and 80. In one embodiment, the gate 426 comprises a field effect transistor or the like. The transistor includes a cathode contact 78 and an anode contact 80. A barrier is provided to electrically couple the cell 32 to the contacts 78 and 80 so as to selectively communicate with It can be activated by the battery controller 38.

[0053] Charging circuit 428 charges cell 32, i.e., provides a charge or current to cell 32. In one embodiment, the battery includes one or more circuit components that facilitate providing When the antenna 30 receives a charging signal from the charging module or device 402, 402', The inverter 422 converts the charging signal into a current that is provided to the charging circuit 428. Charging circuitry 428 transmits the charging module or device 402, 402 via antenna 422. Receives the charging signal from 2'.

[0054] The charging circuit 428 can receive the current and provide a current and / or voltage to the cells 32. The current or voltage can be adjusted to suit the desired state of charge. When the battery is charged to a predefined state of charge, the battery controller 38 determines whether or not further current is applied. The charging circuit 428 can be controlled so that no charge is provided to the cell 32.

[0055] In one embodiment, the battery communication device 424 communicates with the charging module 402. The tag 430 may be equipped with an internal antenna (not shown) that is used to detect the presence of the tag. Alternatively, the tag 430 can be coupled to the battery communication device 424 or can have a built-in In some embodiments, the battery may be a stand-alone component with an antenna. 30, battery data such as health, charge status and / or battery operation data, 0 and can be transmitted via NFC, RFID or any other suitable communication protocol. The signal can be transmitted to the charging module 402 via the signal.

[0056] The various components of the battery 30 are positioned within a housing 432. The ring 432 can include a cover 434 that forms a seamless bond. The housing 432 may be welded to form a one-piece structure to form a Additionally, a housing 432 is provided to form a hermetic barrier between the cover 434 and the housing 432. A seal 436 may be positioned between the gasket 432 and the cover 434. 6 is formed from a material that is autoclavable and optionally compressible For example, the seal 436 may include EPDM rubber or silicone rubber. Cut.

[0057] The contacts 78 and 80 can be attached to the cover 434. In FIGS. Thus, contacts 78 and 80 are shown extending from cover 434, but are not necessarily connected to the instrument 50. Corresponding contacts are inserted into the cover 434 and / or the housing 432 to connect the contacts 78 and 80, partially or completely within the cover 434 and / or the housing 432. It should be understood that the contact 78 may be housed in a cathode contact. Contact 80 may be referred to as an anode contact. Contacts 78 and 80 (as well as cover 43) 4) is shaped to allow the battery 30 to be removably coupled to the device 50; More specifically, contacts 78 and 80 are connected to instrument 5. 0. The device 50 is inserted into a corresponding portion of the device 50 to establish a physical and electrical connection with the device 50. Thus, the cathode contact 78 and the anode contact 80 are physically adapted to the instrument 50. and the anode contact 80 and the cathode contact 78 are inserted into the contact 78 so that a voltage is applied across both the anode contact 80 and the cathode contact 78. When the power supply 80 is activated, the battery 30 provides power to the instrument 50 .

[0058] The housing 432 of the battery 30 may comprise materials suitable for autoclave cycles. The battery assembly, including the battery components, the housing 432 and the cover 434, The bri is sterilized along with the instrument 50 via steam sterilization, hydrogen peroxide sterilization, or other suitable sterilization technique. or separately from the instrument 50. When the process is complete, the housing 432 or cover 434 is -6 Sterile water This means that the product has a sterilization assurance level (SAL). This means that the probability of a single viable microorganism being present in the item is less than one in a million. This definition of sterilization is based on the Safe Handling and Biological Decontamination of Medical Devices. "Anti-Clinical Devices in Health Care Facilities and Nonclinical Settings" This is the definition given in AAMI ST35-1966. In alternative applications, "sterilization" The process may be such that, upon completion of the process, the housing 432 or cover 434 is at least 0 -4 It is sufficient if the patient has a SAL of

[0059] Many versions of the battery 30 also include a housing 43 that is autoclavable. 2 or cover 434, but that does not always have to be the case. is not part of the design of a battery that is not designed for medical / surgical applications. In particular, this feature of battery 30 is often referred to as a non-sterile battery in a sterile housing. A non-sterile battery in a sterile housing can be integrated into the cell cluster and A cell regulator (voltage regulator), a transistor (e.g. (e.g., FETS), resistors, capacitors and a microprocessor or battery controller. This cell cluster is not autoclavable. Alternatively, the cell cluster may be removably fitted within a housing that is autoclavable. Once the cell is inserted into the housing, the housing is sealed. Thus, the cells and other cluster forming components are enclosed in a sterile enclosure. Contacts integral with both the raster and the housing provide a contact path through which current flows. Further understanding of the construction of a non-sterile battery assembly within a sterile housing. The solution is “ASEPTIC BATTERY WITH A REMOVAL CELL CLUSTER, THE CELL CLUSTER CONFIGURED For charging in a socket that receives a sterilizable battery” No. 7,705,559 and "ASEPTIC BATTERY ASSEMBLY WITH REMOVABLE, RECHARGEABLE E BATTERY PACK, THE BATTERY PACK ADAPTED TO BE USED WITH A CONVENTIONAL CHARGER and WO 2007 / 090025, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The disclosure of this application is incorporated herein by reference.

[0060] Some batteries are also provided with auxiliary components. These components include Examples of the components include internal sensors, data acquisition circuits, memory, and a control processor. These components monitor the environment the battery is exposed to and collect data about the battery's usage. and / or stores data relating to a medical device in which the battery is installed. The auxiliary component is "BATTERY CHARGER ESPECIALLY USEFUL WITH STERILIZATION U.S. Patent No. 6,018,227 entitled "SYNABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY PACKS" and U.S. Patent No. STEM AND METHOD FOR RECHARGING A BATTERY EXPOSED TO A HARSH ENVIRONMENT” US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0090788 / International Publication No. 2007 / 050439 The present invention may include or be similar to the auxiliary components described in the above. The disclosures of the patents and applications are incorporated herein by reference. If the battery is equipped with one or more of these auxiliary components, the battery housing The connector may include an auxiliary contact, such as a data contact 82. the connections through which signals are received from and / or transmitted to the auxiliary components; It can be a point.

[0061] FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing various subcircuits or components of battery controller 38. In FIG. 5, the following sub-circuits or components are included within the battery controller 38: Although shown as being integrated, one or more of the subcircuits or components may be implemented in any suitable device. It should be understood that the device, module, or battery 30 may be included as part of the device. It is.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, a central processing unit (CPU) 502 controls the battery controller 38. and a battery controller connected to the non-volatile flash memory. The memory 504 stores instructions executed by the CPU 502. As will be more fully described, the flash memory 504 also regulates the charging of the battery 30. instructions used to power the battery, data describing the usage history of the battery, and It also stores data describing the usage history of the device 50 to which it is attached.

[0063] The random access memory 506 is read by the battery controller 38 and generates The CPU clock 508 serves as a temporary buffer for data to be read from the CPU 504. It provides the clock signal used to regulate the operation of the 02. Although shown as a clock, the CPU clock 508 is generated from an on-chip oscillator as well as from It should be understood that the present invention includes a subcircuit that converts the output signal into a CPU clock signal. A real-time clock 510 generates a clock signal at regular intervals.

[0064] In one embodiment, an analog comparator 512 and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 5 14 includes one or more sensors or other components of the battery 30, such as a temperature sensor (not shown). In FIG. 5, the above subcircuits are connected to a single bus 516. It should be understood that this is for simplicity. In practice, dedicated lines may connect some of the subcircuits together. It is understood that battery controller 38 may include other sub-circuits as well. These subcircuits will not be described in detail since they are not specifically related to the present invention. Not clear.

[0065] FIG. 6 illustrates the instructions executed by the battery controller 38 as well as the flash memory. 6 is a block diagram of a data structure 600 that may be stored in library 504 (shown in FIG. 5). The data structure 600 may be one or more fields 600 in one or more records or files. 02, data such as battery operation data can be stored. As an example, The identification data 604 may be stored in a file and used to identify the battery 30. The identification data 604 may include, for example, a serial number, a lot number, a manufacturer's identification number, The authorization code or other identifying information may include a back-up ID and / or an authorization code. The device 50 or charging module 402 to which the battery 30 is connected authenticates the battery 30. (e.g., whether the battery 30 can power the device 50 or whether it can be charged Module 402 determines whether battery 30 can be recharged The flash memory 504 can also be read to determine the availability of the battery 30. A field 606 indicating a useful life (sometimes called "useful life data") may also be included. The useful life data 606 may include one or more of the following data types: That is, battery expiration data, the number of charging cycles that the battery 30 has undergone, The number of autoclaves or cycles that the battery 30 has undergone. The nominal open circuit voltage 608 of the signal generated by the battery 30 current 610 that can be generated, and the amount of energy available 612 (e.g., in Joules) It can be shown that

[0066] Charging instructions 614 for the battery 30 can be stored in field 602. This data is disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,018,227 and 6,184,655. The memory of the battery described in the above patent can contain data of the type described in the above patent. The contents of the disclosure are incorporated herein by reference.

[0067] The flash memory 504 also stores the charging history 616 of the battery 30 and the autoclave history. The battery 30 may also include data describing the charging history 618, for example as part of the charging history 616 of the battery 30. The battery 30 is charged according to the time when each charge cycle was initiated, along with data indicating the number of times the battery 30 has been charged. A timestamp may be stored indicating the time when the process was completed and / or when it was completed.

[0068] As part of the autoclave history 618 of the battery 30, the flash memory 504 may: The total number of times the battery 30 has been autoclaved and / or Store data indicating the cumulative amount of time the device has been exposed to temperatures above a threshold that is considered to be a temperature. In one non-limiting embodiment, the threshold temperature is about 130 degrees Celsius. In a more specific embodiment, the threshold temperature is about 134 degrees Celsius. It should be understood that field 602 can be any suitable temperature. The autoclaving history 618 also indicates whether the battery 30 may have been autoclaved excessively. Data indicating the number and / or cumulative amount of time exposed to the Clave cycle may also be included. The autoclave history 618 also includes the maximum autoclave temperature to which the battery 30 was exposed. Peak autoclave temperature data showing how many degrees the battery is in its autoclave cycle The amount of time each battery was in the autoclave was recorded in the battery 30 along with the amount of time each battery was in the autoclave. It may also include the single longest period of time that a scan was performed.

[0069] Measured Post-Charge Voltage field 620 represents the measured charge voltage of battery 30 after each charge. In some embodiments, field 620 contains data indicative of the load voltage. Only include these measurements for 1 to 10 charge cycles. The battery temperature monitor stores data indicating the maximum battery temperature measured during the preceding charge cycle. Again, field 622 indicates the last 1-10 charge cycles of the battery. The data may only include data indicating the maximum temperature measured during the test.

[0070] The flash memory 504 also includes a device usage field 624. Additionally, the device usage field 624 indicates whether the battery 30 is employed to provide power. Store data obtained from the instrument 50 or other medical device. For example, in one embodiment In the device usage field 624, the number of times the battery 30 has been connected to the device 50, The number of times the trigger of the tool 50 is pulled during the operation of the tool 50 (i.e., the runtime of the tool 50) The total amount of time that the battery 30 has provided power to the device 50, the power cycles that have been performed on the device 50, the number of drives, the maximum temperature the instrument 50 was exposed to, the current consumption of the instrument 50, the speed hysteresis of the instrument 50 a list of serial numbers or other identifiers of devices with which the battery 30 has interacted; and / or any other suitable data of the instrument 50 may be stored. However, it is understood that the device usage field 624 does not include patient data. The data stored in the device usage field 624 should be used to The signal can be transmitted by the communication module and received by the battery communication device 424. Cut.

[0071] FIG. 7A illustrates a diagonal view of a system 700 including a charging module 402 and a battery container 702. 7B and 7C are perspective views of a system 700 including an example of a charging module 402. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the charging module 402, which includes an additional charging bay 416 and multiple 7D shows a charging module 402' (shown in FIG. 4B) and a system 700' including a sterilizable wrap 703, i.e., one embodiment of the system 700. As described more fully herein, each battery receptacle 70 2 can receive one or more batteries 30, and each charging module 402 and 02′ can receive one or more battery containers 702. 2 will be described in more detail below with reference to FIGS.

[0072] In one embodiment, the charging module 402 may include multiple charging bays 416. For example, in FIG. 7A, the charging module 402 includes four charging bays 416. In FIG. 7B and FIG. 7C, the charging module 402 includes eight charging bays 416. The module 402 may alternatively have six separate bays. Additionally, four charging bays. 16 may be arranged in any suitable manner. For example, in FIG. 7A, 7B and 7C, four charging bays 416 are arranged in each row R. The eight charging bays 416 are arranged in two rows R, each containing one bay 416 or three bays. In Figures 7B and 7C, eight charging bays are arranged such that each row C includes two charging bays 416. The electrical bays 416 can also be described as being arranged in four columns C. The charging module 402 then receives a portion of the battery 30 and / or the battery container 702. As described above with reference to FIG. Each charging bay 416 includes a power antenna 40 coupled to a charger controller 408. 6 and a communication antenna 412. Each charging bay 416 includes at least one of the battery containers 702. Also some accept different shapes and sizes.

[0073] In various embodiments, the charging module 402 may be any suitable device for charging the battery 30. For example, referring to FIG. 7D, the charging module 402′ may have a shape suitable for charging. The charging bay 416' is adapted to receive the battery 30 wrapped in a sterilizable wrap 703. Virtually flat wireless power consortium (Qi) chargers, which can In some embodiments, charging bays 416 and 416' are shown as flat surfaces. may include a friction surface to prevent the battery 30 from slipping.

[0074] The system 700 includes a battery container 702 or multiple battery containers 702. Referring to FIG. 7A, the system 700 may include a charging module, One battery container 7 may be arranged in a single row R of the charging bay 416 of the module 402. 7B, the system 700 includes a charging module 402 as shown. Two battery containers 702a and 702b may be arranged in two rows R of the charging bay 416. 7C, the system 700 includes the charging bay 416 and 702b as shown. The four battery containers 702c, 702d, 702 In some implementations of system 700, such as system 700' in FIG. 7D, The embodiment may include a sterilizable wrap 703. In such an embodiment, the sterilizable The battery 30 can be placed inside the thermal wrap 703. Then, as shown in FIG. 7D As shown, the battery 30 wrapped in the sterilizable wrap 703 is placed on top of the charging bay 416. can be charged when placed on the charging bay 416'.

[0075] Each battery 30 in an associated receptacle of the battery container 702 is adjacent to the charging bay 416. The battery container 702 is positioned adjacent to the charging module 402 so that the battery container 702 is positioned in contact with the charging module 402. Once positioned, the battery 30 communicates with the battery 30 via the communication antenna 412 in the charging bay 416. The charger controller 408 can communicate with the charging bay 416 through the receptacle 702. The charging power can be received via the power antenna 406 of the , the protrusions aligned with the respective receptacles of the battery container 702 are connected to the charging module 40 2. Each battery container 702 is mounted on a charging module 416 so as to be positioned above a respective charging bay 416 of the The sensor 402 may be disposed on top of the sensor module 402.

[0076] Furthermore, the receptacle in the first container, such as container 702a or 702b in FIG. The number of holes and the corresponding number of protrusions are the same as those of the containers 702c, 702d, 702e, or 702f in FIG. is greater than the number of receptacles and corresponding protrusions in a second container, such as 702f. Referring again to the charging module 402 shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the charging module 402 The number of columns C of the charging bays 416 corresponds to the number of receptacles and protrusions in the first container. The number of rows R corresponds to the number of receptacles and protrusions in the second container. The first vessel, shown as vessel 702a or 702b in FIG. 7B, contains four receptors. In FIG. 7C, containers 702c, 702d, 702e and A second container, designated as 702f, includes two receptacles and corresponding protrusions. Thus, the charging module 402 includes four columns C and two rows R of charging bays 416. In another embodiment, the rows of charging modules 402 in the first and second containers may The number of C and rows R and the number of receptacles and protrusions can be varied. For example, Although the number of columns C is greater than the number of rows R in the embodiment of FIGS. 7B and 7C, in other embodiments , the number of columns C can be less than or equal to the number of rows R.

[0077] The charging module 402 is connected to the battery 30 that is being charged by the charging module 402. A display area 70 including a number of indicators that provide information related to the status of the 6. In one embodiment, the charging display 708 is Associated with each charging bay 416 in the pool 402. Each charging display 708 is 6, an indicator 710 (hereinafter, “charging”) showing the charging state of the battery 30 being charged. a battery status indicator 710 and a battery 30 being charged by the charging bay 416 and an indicator 712 indicating the health of the device (hereinafter, the health indicator 712). In an embodiment, the health of each battery 30 is determined by the “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN A U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 103, entitled "MOUNT OF DEGRADATION OF A MEDICAL DEVICE BATTERY" The present invention can be determined in a manner similar to that described in US Pat. No. 5,233,494, and is within the disclosure of that application. The contents of the present specification are incorporated by reference. 4B and implemented using one or more indicator devices 414 described above with reference to FIG. Thus, each indicator may represent a health and / or charging status to the user. The indicator may be provided with an LED or other light source that illuminates all or part of the indicator to show Alternatively, each indicator may be configured to allow a user to monitor the health and / or charge of each battery 30. Any other suitable device or display that allows data representative of the power status to be viewed. Additionally or alternatively, one or more of the indicators may include a spray. , may be provided on or within each battery 30.

[0078] As described more fully herein, the health and state of charge of each battery 30 may be determined by The data represented may be transmitted to a communication antenna of a charging bay 416 in or adjacent to which the battery 30 is placed. The signal can be transmitted by the battery 30 to the charging module 402 through the antenna 412. The data is transmitted from the communication antenna 412 to the charger controller 408. The controller 408 controls whether the charge status indicator 710 and the health indicator 712 are The display is adapted to reflect the state of charge and health data received from the battery 30. Controls the ray region 706 .

[0079] In some embodiments, the display area 706 also displays where the charging module 402 is located. It also includes a temperature indicator 714 that displays data representative of the ambient temperature of the environment in which it is placed. The electrical appliance controller 408 receives the sensed ambient temperature from a temperature sensor (not shown in FIG. 7A). The charger controller 408 may receive one or more signals indicative of the detected The temperature may be displayed in the form of a digital display or any other suitable display. In addition, the temperature indicator 714 can be controlled.

[0080] In another embodiment, the display area 706 may be selected or pressed by the user. The charger controller 408 also includes a refresh icon 716 that allows the user to refresh the A signal can be received in response to selecting or pressing the push icon 716, The electronics controller 408 responds by initiating a refresh of the display area 706. The refresh of the display area 706 can be performed according to the charging status of each display 30. the state of each battery 30, the health of each battery 30, and the ambient temperature of the environment in which the charging module 402 is located. This may include redetermination and restatement.

[0081] In one embodiment, the charging module 402 and / or the battery container 702 may include a One or more sensors that measure the sterility of the cell 30 and / or the sterilization volume 902 (shown in FIG. 9). The sensor may provide a signal to the charger control representative of the measured sterility condition. The charger controller 408 can transmit the signal to the display area 70 An associated indicator within 6 can be made to show the measured sterility condition.

[0082] Additionally or alternatively, the charger controller 408 may display an image in the display area 706. Indicators may be provided to indicate the sterilization status of each battery 30 and / or the sterilization volume 902. For example, the battery 30 may be disposed in a battery container 702. Once sterilized, a temperature sensor within the battery container 702 indicates the autoclave process. Exposure of the battery to temperatures (e.g., temperatures above 130 degrees Celsius) or other temperatures indicative of a sterilization process The exposure of the container 702 can be detected and stored in a memory (not shown). The pin or portion of the data includes the sterilization volume 902 and a bag placed within the sterilization volume 902. Another sensor can reflect that the battery 30 is in a sterile condition. Detect when the container 702 is open (e.g., when the top is removed) The pin or part of the data stored in the memory can include the sterilization volume 902 and the sterilization volume 903. This reflects the fact that the battery 30 placed in the storage section 902 may no longer be in a sterile state. The charger controller 408 may be configured to indicate the sterilization status of the battery container 702. A signal can be received and an indicator in the display area 706 reflects the sterilization status. It can be done.

[0083] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom of the battery container 702. FIG. 8 and 9, the battery container 702 is substantially However, the battery container 702 may be configured so that the container is generally rectangular as described herein. It will be appreciated that the shape of the actuator may be any suitable shape that allows the actuator to operate in a It should be.

[0084] In one embodiment, the battery container 702 optionally has two opposing sides 80 8, a housing 804 having two opposing ends 806, a bottom 808 and a top 809. In one embodiment, the housing 802 is disposed inside the battery container 702. It is sealable to provide and maintain a sterile volume 902 (shown in FIG. 9). In one embodiment, one or more batteries 30 are arranged in one or more pairs of batteries 30 disposed in a battery container 702. 8. The receptacle 810 may be removably disposed within a corresponding receptacle 810 (shown in phantom in FIG. 8). The top 809 (or another suitable portion) of the housing 802 may be removable to allow for In such an embodiment, the battery container 702 is aligned with a corresponding receptacle 810. The battery container includes a protrusion 813 that is aligned with the battery container. The protrusion is defined by the outer surface of the battery container. The receptacle is typically vertically aligned with the battery. By inserting it into the tackle, it will be aligned with the battery. One of the batteries is charged by positioning the battery container protrusion within the charging bay of the charger. These antennas are operatively aligned with one or more antennas of the charger.

[0085] Additionally, in some embodiments, the user may be able to determine the presence or absence of battery 30 in receptacle 810. The housing 802 may be configured to display the power supply current and / or battery 30 status. At least some of them are at least partially transparent, translucent and / or non-opaque. For example, As shown in FIG. 1, the battery 30 may include a charge / discharge indicator (40) that indicates the state of charge and / or health of the battery 30. , and may include a battery status indicator 75, such as an LED. In this embodiment, the housing 802 may include a transparent portion 811 to allow the battery 30 to be seen from the receptacle. When placed within the tackle 810, the battery status indicator 75 is transparent to the transparent portion 811. In another such embodiment, the housing 802 may be The receptacle 810 may be at least partially transparent, and the battery 30 may be disposed within the receptacle 810. When the battery status indicator 75 is inserted into the housing 802, the battery status indicator 75 is visible through the housing 802. This can be done.

[0086] In one embodiment, each side 804 is configured to allow sterilizing gas to enter the interior of the housing 802. The housing 802 is provided with a plurality of ventilation holes 812 that allow air to enter the interior of the housing 802. To prevent or minimize the amount of potential contaminants, the housing 802 A filter (not shown) may be bonded to the surface of the vent 812 that faces the interior of the device. For example, the filter may cooperate with the housing 802 to ensure that the entire battery container 702 is sterile. The sterility of the sterilization volume 902 can then be maintained. 2 prevents the battery container 702 from being moved to a non-sterile location unless the housing 802 is opened. Even if the container is exposed to heat, it can be maintained in a sterile state.

[0087] Referring to FIG. 9, as described above, each receptacle 810 is adapted to receive the battery 30 when the battery is removed. FIG. 9 shows three receptacles 810 (and 7 and 8, the battery container 702 has three protrusions 813 (not shown). The battery container 702 is connected to the charging module 402 so that the battery container 702 can be used with the charging module 402. Any suitable number of receptacles 810 and corresponding protrusions 813 may be provided within the housing 82. It should be understood that in one embodiment, each battery container 70 2 has only a single receptacle 810 and a protrusion 813 for receiving a single battery 30. Each protrusion 813 may be provided with a corresponding one of the charging modules 402. The charging bay 416 is sized and shaped so that it can be placed over a corresponding charging bay 416. Each receptacle 810 and protrusion 813 is adapted to receive a battery disposed within the receptacle 810. The battery 30 is aligned with the power antenna 406 and the communication antenna 412 of the charging bay 416. shaped to align with a corresponding charging bay 416 so that the charging be.

[0088] In one embodiment, a removable tray 904 is provided within the battery container 702. In one such embodiment, the battery 30 can be placed in the tray 904. The tray 904 can be placed in or removed from the battery container 702. The tray 904 can include one or more handles 906. One or more handles 906 allow the tray 904 to be easily grasped and lifted to access the battery containers. It can be accessed from 702.

[0089] During operation, the battery 30 is sterilized primarily in two ways according to the embodiments described herein. The battery can then be transported to the desired location of use (e.g., an operating room). 30 can be sterilized by autoclaving (or another suitable process) and Alternatively, the sterile volume 902 may be suitably sterilized. The battery container 702 can be sterilized to ensure that the battery is securely attached to the battery. Therefore, in order to maintain the sterility of the battery 30, the battery 30 is placed in the battery container 7. The battery is placed in a corresponding receptacle 810 in the sterile volume 902 of the battery container 802. The top 809 (or other removable portion) of 702 may be used to ensure that the container 702 is free of microorganisms. The container 702 is then placed on top of the container 702 so that the container is microbially sealed. 7. The battery container 702 may be sterilized as desired while maintaining the sterility of the cell 30 and the sterile volume 902. It may be shipped or otherwise transported to the point of use.

[0090] Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 7D, a sterilizable wrap 703 (sometimes referred to as a “blue wrap”) may be used. The battery 30 can be placed in a sterilizable wrap 703. The wrap 703 is wrapped around the battery 30 so that the battery 30 remains sterile until it is removed. The sterilized battery 30 can be sterilized together with the sterilizable wrap 703. 416 on top of the respective charging bays 416 of the charging modules 402 after the sterilization process. The battery 30 can then be placed in a suitable location for use in an operating room or other location. Once prepared, the battery 30 can be removed from the sterilizable wrap 703. In an embodiment in which the battery 30 includes a battery status indicator 75, as shown in FIG. Additionally, the sterilizable wrap 703 may include a transparent portion 705 to allow the battery 30 to be sterilizable. When placed within wrap 703, battery status indicator 75 is visible through transparent portion 70. 5. In other embodiments, the sterilizable wrap 703 may be at least The battery 30 is placed in a sterilizable wrap 703, which may be partially transparent. When the battery is in the sterilizable wrap 703, the battery status indicator 75 is visible through the sterilizable wrap 703. It is possible.

[0091] In the second method, prior to sterilization, The battery 30 can then be placed in the container 702. During this time, the battery container 702 may be sterilized using an autoclave process (or other suitable sterilization process). Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery 30 and the battery container can be sterilized. The vessels 702 can be sterilized together to form or maintain a sterile volume 902 under sterile conditions. This allows the battery 30 and the sterile volume 902 to be kept sterile while The battery container 702 can then be shipped or otherwise transported to a desired location for use. Cut.

[0092] Thus, as described herein, the battery 30 is sealed to prevent the entry of microorganisms. The device may be disposed within a closed sterile volume 902 and may be disposed adjacent to the charging module 402. The battery 30 may be placed in a sterile volume 902 and sealed against microorganisms. While the battery remains in the charging state, the charging module 402 provides charging power to the battery 30. Additionally, the charging module can be inserted while the battery 30 is enclosed within the sterile volume 902. The module 402 communicates with the battery 30 to provide battery operating status, battery condition data, and and / or any other suitable data described herein may be obtained. In this embodiment, the battery 30 can be placed in the container 702 prior to sterilization, and the container 702 and While the battery 30 is in a non-sterile state, the container 702 is placed adjacent to the charging module 402. After charging, the charged battery 30 can be placed in the container 702 until it is opened. The container 702 and battery 30 can be sterilized so that they are stored in a charged and sealed state. This can be done.

[0093] 10-12 show a battery 30 and charging module 402 for use with the battery 30 and charging module 402 described herein. An example of providing charge to a battery (i.e., "charging" a battery) is 1 is a flowchart of an exemplary method 1000. In one embodiment, the method 1000 includes The contents stored in one or more memory devices of the module 402 and / or the battery 30 The charger controller 40 may be implemented by executing computer-readable instructions. 8 and / or the battery controller 38, the memory 410 and / or the flash memory 5 04 to execute the instructions stored in the method 1000 described herein. It is possible.

[0094] Referring to FIG. 10, in one embodiment, the charging module 402 includes a communication antenna 4 12 is enabled or activated (1002) to charge the charging module 402. Detect one or more batteries 30 positioned in close proximity. The communication antenna 412 is activated while the input antenna 406 is deactivated. When the communication antenna 412 is activated, the charging module 402 Enter discovery mode. During discovery mode, the charging module 402 detects whether the battery 30 is in the charging bay. 416, the battery 30 detects its proximity. For example, A battery container 702 containing a battery 30 is disposed in the charging bay 416 or in a charging When placed on the charging module 402 so as to be positioned proximate to the bay 416, The wireless communication electromagnetic field generated by the communication antenna 412 is transmitted to the battery communication device 4 The tag 430 in the battery 30 is energized (1004). One or more components (e.g., battery controller 38) may be at least partially Additionally or alternatively, the battery controller may be in a low power state with the battery activated. The controller 38 may, for example, determine whether the battery 30 is connected to the charging module 402 based on the presence of an electromagnetic field. It can detect when they are closely spaced.

[0095] In response to the tag 430 being energized, an electromagnetic field detection pin or device within the tag 430 In another embodiment, as described more fully herein, 4, the battery 30 is positioned adjacent to the charging bay 416 so as to be mounted on the When paired with the , the electromagnetic field detection pin can be enabled. The setting (1006) causes the battery 30 to exit the low power state (i.e., "power up" refers to the operating state or full power in which the components of the battery 30 are activated. In one embodiment, charging power is provided by the charging module 402. until (e.g., by power antenna 406 to provide charging power to battery 30) During the low power and full power states, the battery 30 Draws power from reseller 32.

[0096] As used herein, a low power state refers to when at least some portion of the battery 30 is The battery 30 is in a full power state where all parts of the battery are usable. In one embodiment, the battery While the battery 30 is in a low power state, the battery controller 38 supplies approximately 20 milliamps Alternatively, the low power state may draw at least Some parts of the battery can be characterized as being in a power state where they are unavailable. The controller 38 must draw less than 5% of the current that the battery 30 draws when it is at full power. As the battery draws more current, parts of the battery controller 38 become disabled.

[0097] In one embodiment, the tag 430 is coupled to the communication antenna 412 via an electromagnetic field generated by the communication antenna 412. When energized, the antenna in the tag 430 or the battery communication device 424 communicates with the A pairing message is sent to the antenna 412 to allow the battery communication device 424 to 1010) to pair with the antenna 412 (thus removing the battery 30) (paired with charging bay 416 and charging module 402). In a specific embodiment, The tag 430 is an NFC tag, and the NFC tag enables the battery communication device 424 to communicate In response to excitation of the tag 430 by the receiving antenna 412, the tag communicates using the NFC protocol. Alternatively, the device may be paired with the antenna 412 via Bluetooth or any other suitable The charging module 402 and / or the charging bay 416 may be connected to the battery using any suitable protocol. The battery 30 and the charging module 402 can be paired. During the ringing, authentication data is received from the battery 30 and the charging module 402 0. In one embodiment, the battery authentication The data can be stored in the tag 430 and the charging module 402 can The charger controller 408 can then authenticate the device via the communication antenna 412. In this way, the charging module 402 can be read out by the authorized Ensure that only the battery 30 that has been charged is provided with charging power from the charging module 402. It is possible.

[0098] In one embodiment, the battery 30 can be gradually exited from the low power state (1 In the first stage, the tag 430 is energized (1004) to activate the battery communication device. The battery communication device 424 comes out of the low power state and pairs with the charging bay 416. In the second stage, the charging bay 416 of the battery communication device 424 Depending on the pairing with the battery, the remaining part of the battery 30 (including the battery controller 38) ) can exit the low power state (1008). Alternatively, the tag 430 can be energized (1 004) allows all portions of the battery 30 to exit the low power state at substantially the same time. or any other suitable procedure for exiting a low power state by the battery 30. It is possible.

[0099] In one embodiment, the battery controller 38 proceeds to the next step of the method 1000. Before the battery 30 is powered down, a predetermined amount of time (150 milliseconds) must elapse after the battery 30 has exited the low power state (1008). After the predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the battery may be turned off. The controller 38 may then control the electromagnetic The field detection pins can be reconfigured. In pass-through mode 1012, The stored data is transmitted to the charging module 402 via the communication antenna 412, and the data is The data can also be transmitted from the charging module 402 to the tag 430. The controller 38 is inactive, in a low power state, damaged, or has other For some reason, communication with the charging module 402 and / or the tag 430 may not be possible. However, the data stored in the tag 430 can be read by the charging module 402. It should be understood that it is possible to

[0100] Once the tag 430 is paired and the pass-through mode is set (1012), the charging mode The module 402 receives data on the battery status (hereinafter, “battery status”) from the battery 30. In one embodiment, the charging module starts receiving (1014) the status data. The communication adapter 402 is configured to request battery status data from the battery controller 38. The battery communication device 424 then transmits one or more messages via the antenna 412 . The battery controller 38 receives messages from the battery communication device 424 and responds In one embodiment, the battery controller 1014 receives the battery status data and provides the battery status data (1016). The tag 38 stores the battery status in the tag 430 for transmission to the charging module 402. The charging module 402 then temporarily stores the data. The status data can be read directly and stored in the memory 410 of the charging module 402. The state data can be stored.

[0101] The battery status data may include information regarding the state of charge, health, and / or any other suitable The charging status may include data such as the capacity of the battery 30 and the current state of the battery 30. Data representing the charge level, or the amount of charge required to reach a fully charged state of the battery 30 may include.

[0102] In a specific embodiment, the battery controller 38 controls the charging module 4 of the tag 430. The battery status data can be stored in a predetermined block of data transmitted to 02. As each block of data is sent to the charging module 402, the charger controller 408 via the communication antenna 412 to confirm successful reception of the block of data. A response message or signal is sent to the battery controller 38. In certain embodiments, In this case, each block of data is 64 bytes. Alternatively, each block of data can be any It may contain any suitable number of bytes.

[0103] After receiving the battery status data, the charging module 402 updates the battery status data to reflect the received data. The display can be updated to show the current status of the charger controller (1018). Based on the received data, the charger 408 displays the charge status indicator 710 of the battery 30. The current charge state is reflected, and the health indicator 712 displays the current health of the battery 30. A command or signal can be sent to the display area 706 to reflect the do.

[0104] Referring to FIG. 11, battery status data is received and display area 706 is updated. After the charging module 402 detects the battery status, the charging module 402 may request battery operating data from the battery 30. In one embodiment, the battery operating data may be stored as described above with reference to FIG. As described above, the data stored in the data structure 600 may include Alternatively, any other suitable data may be requested and received by the charging module 402. The charger controller 408 may communicate with the charger 406 to receive battery operating data. A signal or request can be sent to the antenna 412. The communication antenna 412 is A signal or request may be sent 1022 to the battery communication device 424. The device 424 sends a signal or request to the battery controller 38. In response to receiving the signal, the battery controller 38 transmits to the charging module 402 In preparation for this, battery operation data may be stored in the tag 430 of the battery communication device 424. This can be done.

[0105] In a specific embodiment, the battery controller 38 controls the charging module 4 of the tag 430. Battery operation data can be stored in a predetermined block of data transmitted to 02 ( 1024). As described above, each block of data is sent to the charging module 402. When the data is received (1026), the charger controller 408 acknowledges successful receipt of the block of data. To confirm, a confirmation message or signal is sent to the battery controller via the communication antenna 412. In one particular embodiment, each block of data is 64 bytes. Alternatively, each block of data may contain any suitable number of bytes. The charging module 402 is configured to allow the battery controller 38 to transmit battery operating data. Do not send additional blocks of battery operation data until you send a message indicating you are done. Alternatively, the charging module 402 may request the charging module 4 02, additional battery operating data is received until a predetermined amount of battery operating data is received. Blocks can be requested continuously. In one embodiment, the block is requested after a certain amount of battery operation. The data includes 3 kilobytes of data. In another embodiment, the predetermined amount of battery operating data is The data is based on the size of the data structure 600 (i.e., the amount of data that can be stored in the data structure 600). The amount of data that is included in the

[0106] After the transmission of the battery operation data is completed, the charging module 402 The controller 38 is ready to start receiving charging power from the charging module 402. A message can be sent to the battery controller 38 requesting that the battery controller respond with This request can be called a "charge ready request." When the controller 38 receives a ready to charge request, it checks whether one or more battery parameters are allowed. For example, the battery controller 3 can determine whether the battery voltage is within an acceptable range. 8 can determine whether the voltage output from cell 32 is within an acceptable range. The battery controller 38 determines that the battery parameters are within acceptable ranges. If the power is cut off, a message appears indicating that the battery 30 is ready to receive charging power. The message can be sent back to the charging module 402 (1030). The charge readiness confirmation message may be called a "charge readiness confirmation." The charger component (and its components) has exited a low-power state and is in a full-power state. The battery controller 408 may also serve as a notification to the battery controller 408. 38 also disables the battery communication device 424 in preparation for receiving charging power. For example, the battery controller 38 may be configured to The power module 402 has switched to a powered state or is otherwise connected to the battery 30. a signal or message to the charger controller that the charger is prepared to provide charging power to the The charging module 402 may receive a confirmation of readiness to charge from 408. Then, the supply of charging power to the battery 30 starts as described with reference to FIG. However, the battery controller 38 does not send a charge ready confirmation or instead Error message due to one or more battery parameters being outside the acceptable range. When the battery 30 transmits a POWER_OFF message, the charging module 402 blocks the supply of power to the battery 30. and method 1000 can end.

[0107] In one embodiment, the error message is executed by the battery controller 38. generated by the battery controller 38 in response to a self-diagnostic procedure or other test performed For example, the battery controller 38 may control one or more parameters of the battery 30. A sensor signal representative of a meter may be received and the sensor signal may be compared to a predetermined threshold or usage criteria. In comparison, battery 30 is operating correctly or is otherwise in an acceptable state of health. The error message can be sent to the battery communication device 424. 412, which may be transmitted by the battery controller 38 via the communication antenna 412. The error message may be received by the charging module 402 via the This can be reflected in the health indicator 712 of the module 402. For example, Indicator 712 indicates whether battery 30 has an error or is otherwise not compatible with charging. It can indicate that the equipment is in an unacceptable condition and should be replaced. Data 712 may include text, graphics, and / or predefined text indicating that a replacement is being proposed. By displaying a light having a different color, an indication that the battery 30 should be replaced is given. It can be displayed.

[0108] Referring to FIG. 12, the charging module 402 may be configured to charge (for example) Disable or deactivate the communications antenna 412 (by removing power). 1032, and powers the power antenna 406 (e.g., by providing power to the power antenna 406). Enabling or activating (1034) the antenna 406 The charger controller 408 then starts the process of providing charging power to the battery 30. connects the power antenna 406 to the battery antenna 42 in order to transmit charging power to the battery 30. 2. In one embodiment, the charger controller 4 08 implements the Wireless Power Consortium (Qi) wireless charging protocol. The power antenna 406 is inductively coupled (1036) to the battery antenna 422 to Alternatively, the charger controller 408 may be configured to provide charging power to any other suitable processor. Executing the protocol, the battery is 30, providing wireless charging power.

[0109] After the power antenna 406 and the battery antenna 422 are inductively coupled, the charging power is The power supply is wirelessly provided from the power module 402 to the battery 30 via respective antennas. In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 controls the charging process as follows: In one embodiment, the charging device is operated in a loop where charging power is provided for a predetermined amount of time. Alternatively, the predetermined amount of time may be 30 seconds or any other suitable amount of time. During the charging process loop, the charger controller 408 collects battery charge status data. The battery control unit 10 periodically sends a request to the battery 30 to receive the battery control signal (1040). The controller 38 receives the request and sends a response message containing the preset charge state of the battery 30. The charger controller 408 then transmits the updating the charge status indicator 710 to reflect the current charge status of the battery 30; The display area 706 may be updated (1042) by, for example, If the roller 408 determines that the battery 30 has not yet reached a full charge state, the roller 408 The charging process loop can continue until the charging power 1038 has After a predetermined amount of time has passed, the charger controller 408 disables the power antenna 406. 10. Enable or deactivate (1044) the method 1000 (i.e., In this manner, the charger controller 408 determines whether the battery 30 is fully charged or not. The method 1000 is executed in a loop until a full charge state is reached. The device controller 408 continues the first cycle of the method 1000 until the battery 30 is fully charged. The battery 30 can be continuously supplied with charging power without periodically returning to the normal state (103 8).

[0110] During the charging loop, the charger controller 408 determines when the battery 30 reaches a fully charged state. When it is determined that charging of the battery 30 is completed, the charging status indicator (by causing the indicator 710 to be illuminated in a certain color, such as green or blue) The display area 706 can then be updated by the charger controller 408. Stop providing charging power to the battery 30 and disable the power antenna 406, or Then, the battery 30 can be deactivated (1044). 16 and / or the battery container 702 and can be used as desired. can be done.

[0111] During the charging process, the battery 30 is charged when the charging module 402 displays In addition to displaying the charging status and health in area 706, For example, the battery controller 38 may visually indicate the battery status. The backlight may be coupled to one or more LEDs, such as backlight indicator 75 (shown in FIG. 1). The battery controller 38 detects the battery status when the battery 30 is not fully charged. The indicator 75 can be caused to emit light of a first color (e.g., blue) to indicate that the battery is full. When charging, the battery status indicator 75 emits light of a second color (e.g., green). The battery controller 38 may detect an error or unacceptable battery health condition. If the battery indicates a level of health or deterioration that can be achieved, the battery status indicator 75 The housing 802 can emit light of three colors (e.g., red). In embodiments where the battery status indicator 75 is completely transparent, the light emission from the battery status indicator 75 When the battery 30 is sealed against microorganisms within the container 702, the It can be said that:

[0112] Herein, the method 1000 may include one or more of the power antennas 406 or the communication antennas 412 at a time. Although the above description assumes that only one antenna is activated at a time, the same power is applied to each antenna. Both the power antenna 406 and the communication antenna 412 are active at the same time so that It should be understood that in such an embodiment, the charger The controller 408 controls the antenna 406 so that data is transmitted through only one antenna at a time. Either antenna can be used independently of the other. Roller 408 transmits and / or receives data using both antennas simultaneously, and and / or the power antenna 406 and the communication antenna 41 to transmit and / or receive power. 2 Both can be operated simultaneously.

[0113] Specific features of various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated in some drawings and in others. In accordance with the principles of the present disclosure, drawings or other No feature of any embodiment may be combined with any feature of any other drawing or embodiment. The same may be referenced and / or requested.

[0114] This written description uses examples to illustrate embodiments of the present disclosure and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention, but may be modified in any manner to suit the needs of any device or system. You may use the Software in any form, including but not limited to making and using the Software and practicing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the present disclosure is limited to the scope of the present invention. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the claims and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Examples of the above include those having structural elements that do not differ from the literal wording of the claims, or , if the claims contain equivalent structural elements with minor variations from the literal wording of the claims, It is intended to be within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. one or more autoclavable batteries, each battery connected to a battery controller one or more autoclavable batteries comprising:

1. An autoclavable container comprising: a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle adapted to receive one of the batteries; a plurality of receptacles, each of which is shaped to a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion being aligned with a corresponding receptacle; Protrusion and an autoclavable container comprising:

1. A charging device, comprising: a plurality of charging bays, each charging bay configured to receive a protrusion of the container; one of the charging bays A battery disposed in a receptacle of the container is within proximity of the charging bay. In response, the battery is configured to establish communication with a battery controller of the battery. A first antenna; configured to provide charging power to the battery disposed in the receptacle. The second antenna a plurality of charging bays, A charge controller, The first antenna detects that the battery is within the proximity range of the charging bay. In response, detecting whether communication with the battery has been established; In response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery, providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna; A charge controller configured as follows: A charging device comprising:

1. A system for charging a battery in a sterilizable container, comprising:

2. The container is then filled into a sterile volume while the container remains sealed against microorganisms. The system of claim 1 configured to provide a

3. The charging device is adapted to charge the container while the container remains sealed against microorganisms. and configured to provide charging power to the battery disposed within the container. Item 3. The system according to item 1 or 2.

4. The battery according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a visual indicator that indicates a characteristic of the battery.

2. A system as described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

5. The battery is disposed in the container, and the container is configured to be resistant to microorganisms. When the container remains sealed so as not to cause the visual indicator to 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the optical fiber is at least partially transparent to allow visibility therethrough. The system is as follows:

6. The charging device is configured such that the charging controller selectively activates the second antenna. A switching element is provided to enable activation and deactivation of the The charging controller is configured to: During this period, the switching element is controlled to deactivate the second antenna. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, configured to control

7. The charging device is configured such that the charging controller selectively activates the first antenna. A switching element is provided to enable activation and deactivation of the The charging controller is configured to: and controlling the switching element to deactivate the first antenna. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the system is configured to:

8. The battery controller includes: The battery is kept at a low voltage until communication is established between the battery and the first antenna. In power state, In response to communication being established, the battery is caused to exit the low power state. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, configured as follows:

9. The charge controller includes: receiving an indication that the battery has exited the low power state; configured to provide charging power to the battery in response to the received instruction. The system of claim 8 .

10. The battery has previously been coupled to the medical device, and the battery and a memory device for storing data of at least one of the medical devices. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The memory device stores the previous 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first antenna of the charging device is directly readable by the first antenna. system.

12. After establishing communication with the battery controller, the first antenna The charging controller is further configured to receive battery authentication data from the charging controller. The controller may further include a second antenna for connecting the first antenna to the battery before providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising: authenticating the battery using battery authentication data. A system described in any one of claims 1 to 11.

13. A method of operating a system for charging one or more autoclavable batteries, comprising: The system includes one or more batteries, each battery having a battery controller. one or more batteries and a plurality of receptacles configured to receive the batteries; and an autoclavable device having a plurality of protrusions that align with corresponding receptacles. A charging device comprising a charging container, a charging controller and one or more charging bays, each The charging bays are shaped to receive the protrusions, and each charging bay includes a first antenna and a second antenna. and a charging device comprising the antenna of placing a battery in one of the plurality of receptacles of the container; and a protrusion corresponding to the receptacle adjacent one or more of the charging bays; on the charging device such that the battery is positioned within close proximity of the charging bay. placing the container; The battery disposed in the receptacle of the container is within the proximity range of the charging bay. In response to the battery being within the range, the first antenna detects the battery control of the battery. communicating with the roller; The charge controller causes the first antenna to establish communication with the battery. detecting that The first antenna establishes communication with the battery disposed in the receptacle. In response to detecting that the battery has been charged, charging power is supplied to the battery by the second antenna. Steps to provide A method of operating a charging system comprising:

14. Before providing charging power to the battery using the second antenna, 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of sterilizing the container in which the battery is disposed. Law.

15. After providing charging power to the battery using the second antenna, 15. The method of claim 13 or 14, further comprising the step of sterilizing the container in which the battery is disposed. The method described.

16. The battery includes a visual indicator that indicates a characteristic of the battery, and the method includes: sterilizing the container in which the battery is disposed; and and indicating a status of the battery using a 2. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

17. A portion of the container is at least partially transparent, and the method further comprises: and the container remains sealed against the entry of microorganisms. and displaying the status of the battery through the portion of the container. The method according to claim 16.

18. The charging device selectively activates and deactivates the second antenna. a switching element for switching the first antenna on the battery charger, The switching element switches the second antenna to the The method according to any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising the step of deactivating method.

19. The charging device selectively activates and deactivates the second antenna. a switching element for switching on the second antenna to the battery; While providing charging power, the switching element deactivates the first antenna. The method of any one of claims 13 to 18, further comprising the step of invoking.

20. After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, receiving, by a sensor, battery authentication data from the battery controller; Before providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna, the charging control authenticating, by a controller, the battery using the battery authentication data; The method of any one of claims 13 to 19, further comprising:

21. The battery is kept at a low temperature until communication is established between the battery and the first antenna. entering a power state; In response to communication being established, a switch is provided that causes the battery to exit the low power state. Tep and The method according to any one of claims 13 to 20, comprising:

22. receiving an indication that the battery has exited the low power state; providing charging power to the battery by the second antenna in response to the received instruction; Steps to 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

23. The battery has previously been coupled to the medical device, and the battery is a memory device. the method comprising: storing data of at least one of the battery and the medical device; 23. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of storing the data in the memory device. The method according to claim 5.

24. While the battery is in an unpowered state, the first antenna 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of reading the data from the memory device. Law.

25. A battery controller and a passive communication device coupled to the battery controller an autoclavable battery comprising: a sterile barrier containing the battery; 1. A charging device, comprising: A charging bay, comprising: Exciting the passive communication device of the battery, and a first adapter configured to establish communication with the battery controller via a Antenna and a second antenna configured to provide charging power to the battery; a charging bay comprising: A charge controller, The passive communication device of the battery is excited, and the second antenna is deactivated. While the battery is energized, the battery is energized via the energized passive communication device. Controlling the first antenna to establish communication with a controller; After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, the second antenna Activate the antenna, Providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna A charge controller configured as follows: A charging device comprising:

1. A system for charging an autoclavable battery comprising:

26. 26. The battery of claim 25, wherein the battery includes a visual indicator that indicates a characteristic of the battery. The system is as follows:

27. A portion of the sterile barrier includes a battery that is enclosed within the sterile barrier and a When the rear remains sealed against microorganisms, the visual indicator: at least partially to permit visibility through said portion of said sterility barrier.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the system is transparent to the outside.

28. 1. A method of operating a system for charging a battery, the system comprising: a battery controller and a battery controller coupled to the battery controller; An autoclavable battery having a communication device and a sterilization burr for containing the battery. a charging device including a charging controller and a charging bay, the charging bay being a first and a charging device comprising the antenna of claim 1 and a second antenna, the method comprising: placing the battery within the sterile barrier; placing the sterility barrier over the charging device; exciting the communication device of the battery with the first antenna; The first antenna communicates with the battery controller via the excited communication device. establishing communication with the roller; After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, activating the second antenna by a controller; providing charging power to the battery by the second antenna; 23. A method of operating a system for charging a battery, comprising:

29. one or more autoclavable batteries, each battery connected to a battery controller one or more autoclavable batteries comprising: one or more sterility barriers enclosing the one or more batteries, A battery of one of the batteries is placed within one of the one or more sterility barriers. one or more sterility barriers, 1. A charging device, comprising: One or more charging bays, each charging bay comprising: the battery enclosed within the sterile barrier is within close proximity of the charging bay; a first battery controller configured to establish communication with the battery controller in response to the first battery controller; The antenna and configured to provide charging power to the battery enclosed within the sterile barrier. A second antenna; one or more charging bays, A charge controller, The first antenna detects that the battery is within the proximity range of the charging bay. In response, detecting whether communication with the battery has been established; In response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery, providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna A charge controller configured as follows: A charging device comprising:

1. A system for charging an autoclavable battery comprising:

30. 30. The battery of claim 29, wherein the battery includes a visual indicator that indicates a characteristic of the battery. The system is as follows:

31. A portion of the sterile barrier includes a battery that is enclosed within the sterile barrier and a When the rear remains sealed against microorganisms, the visual indicator: at least partially to permit visibility through said portion of said sterility barrier.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the system is transparent to the outside.

32. A passive communication device and a battery controller coupled to the passive communication device and wherein the battery controller places the battery in a low power state. a battery; a receptacle shaped to receive the battery; an autoclavable container having a mating protrusion; 1. A charging device, comprising: a charging bay shaped to receive the protrusion, An antenna, Exciting the passive communication device of the battery, establishing communication with the battery controller via a device; providing charging power to the battery One antenna and a charging bay comprising: A charge controller, The passive communication device of the battery is excited, and the battery controller and causing the battery to exit the low power state in response to communication being established. and establishing communication with the battery controller via a passive communication device provided in the battery controller. to control the antenna, The battery controller causes the battery to exit the low power state. and responsively receiving authentication data to authenticate the battery via the established communication. Believe, In response to authenticating the battery, charging power is provided to the battery via the antenna. Provides power, A charge controller configured as follows: A charging device comprising:

1. A system for charging an autoclavable battery comprising:

33. 33. The battery of claim 32, wherein the battery includes a visual indicator that indicates a characteristic of the battery. The system is as follows:

34. The battery is disposed in the container, and the container is configured to be resistant to microorganisms. When the container remains sealed so as not to cause leakage, the visual indicator 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the optical fiber is at least partially transparent to allow visibility therethrough. The system described in

35. A first autoclavable container and a second autoclavable container, the first Each of the container and the second container comprises: a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle configured to receive a battery; a plurality of receptacles; a plurality of protrusions, each protrusion being aligned with a corresponding receptacle; Protrusion and Equipped with The number of receptacles and the corresponding number of protrusions in the first container are the number of receptacles and the number of corresponding protrusions in the first container and the second container are greater than the number of receptacles and the number of corresponding protrusions in the first container and the second container. and, 1. A charging device, comprising: a plurality of charging bays, each charging bay being adapted to receive a protrusion of the first container or the second container; and the plurality of charging bays are arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. the number of columns corresponds to the number of receptacles in the first container and the number of rows corresponds to the number of receptacles in the first container. corresponding to the number of receptacles in the second container; Each of the charging bays provides charging power to the batteries disposed in the receptacle. a plurality of charging bays, each comprising an antenna configured to A charging device that provides charging power to the battery disposed in the receptacle via the antenna. a charge controller configured to provide A charging device comprising:

1. A system for charging an autoclavable battery comprising:

Images