Battery charging system and method of operation

Abstract

This invention provides a system and method for wirelessly charging batteries for medical devices. [Solution] The system 700 comprises a battery having a battery controller and a container 702 having a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle having a shape for receiving a battery. The system also comprises a charging module 402 having a plurality of charging bays 416, each charging bay having a shape for receiving each receptacle of the plurality of receptacles. Each charging bay comprises a first antenna for providing charging power to the battery, a second antenna for communicating with the battery controller, and a charger controller. After detecting the presence of the battery in the receptacle, the charger controller establishes communication between the second antenna and the battery while the first antenna is deactivated, and after the battery is paired with a charging device, activates the first antenna to provide charging power to the battery.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates generally to batteries for medical devices. More particularly, this disclosure relates to systems and methods for wirelessly charging medical device batteries.

[0002] [Cross - Reference to Related Applications] This patent application claims priority and all benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 563,2 45, filed on September 26, 2017, and the disclosure of this application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety to form a part of this specification.

Background Art

[0003] Non - rechargeable batteries are known as primary batteries, and rechargeable batteries are known as secondary batteries. Secondary batteries can be repeatedly charged, store charge, and supply charge to medical devices such as surgical instruments to which the battery is attached. Over the years, secondary batteries have become a reliable power source for electrosurgical instruments used to perform surgical procedures in the operating room. The use of a battery eliminates the need to provide a power cord connected to an external power source. Compared with corded surgical instruments, benefits are brought by eliminating the power cord. Surgeons using this type of instrument do not need to worry about sterilizing the cord so that it can be brought into the sterile surgical field surrounding the patient, or ensuring that the non - sterile cord is not inadvertently introduced into the surgical field during the operation. Further, eliminating the cord eliminates the physical clutter and visual obstruction that the cord would otherwise bring to the surgical procedure.

[0004] The batteries used to power surgical instruments are different from those used for non - medical purposes​ The battery is exposed to unfavorable environmental factors that it is rarely exposed to. For example, during surgical procedures, Therapeutic batteries may be exposed to blood or other bodily fluids. The set removed from the patient The fabric may adhere to the battery. Therefore, the patient may become infected during the course of medical treatment. To eliminate the risk, sterilize the battery, or ensure the battery is sterilized between surgical procedures. It is a necessary practice to ensure that it is housed within the designated housing. The battery must be sterilizable, or the battery must be located in a sterilizable state. It may be a non-sterile battery with a sterilizable housing. Example of a sterilizable battery. The cleaning / sterilization process typically involves removing contaminants that are easily visible to the naked eye on the surface of the battery. This includes rinsing the battery to remove impurities. However, due to these events, A conductive bridge may form between the battery contacts, thereby affecting the contacts. A layer of metal oxide may be formed on one or more of these. This oxide layer , the efficiency of battery charging and the efficiency of the battery supplying charge to the device to which it is coupled. It functions as an impedance layer, reducing both of the above.

[0005] The batteries are also subjected to immersion in a steam-filled chamber as part of the autoclave process. In some cases, special batches are used to withstand the high temperatures present during the autoclave process. A tarpaulin must be used. The autoclave temperature must not exceed 130 degrees Celsius. Many. Even special batteries designed to withstand autoclave temperatures... Damage to the battery during the toclave process (conventional batteries used in other environments) (Although less likely to occur) damage can still occur. As a result, autoclay Batteries used in medical environments where vetting is performed are more susceptible to damage than batteries used in other industries. There is a possibility of getting injured.

[0006] Furthermore, the battery is used for a certain period before being connected to the surgical instrument for use in the procedure. Because it may be unused, it may gradually lose charge. Therefore, fully charge A battery that starts in this state may gradually lose charge while stored. Furthermore, it may not possess the necessary level of charge when use is desired. (Surgical instruments) Medical professionals using the device and its associated batteries should ensure that the batteries used in the device are sufficient. It has a bell charge and is intended for use in surgical procedures or other potentially critical environments. We need to be confident that it has a reasonable level of soundness. [Overview of the Initiative]

[0007] One embodiment discloses a system for charging a battery. This system is one The system is equipped with a battery, and each battery has a battery controller. The container also includes multiple receptacles and multiple protrusions, and the multiple receptacles are It is shaped to accept one of the batteries, and the multiple protrusions are corresponding to the receptors. It rotates and aligns. This system further includes a charging device with multiple charging bays. Each charging bay is shaped to accommodate the protrusions of the container, and the first antenna and the second It is equipped with an antenna. The first antenna is a battery located inside the receptacle of the container. Depending on whether it is within proximity of the charging bay, the battery will communicate with the battery controller. configured to establish. The second antenna is disposed within the receptacle to provide charging power to the battery configured to provide charging power to the battery disposed within the receptacle. The charging device is also configured to detect whether the first antenna has established communication with the battery in response to the battery being within the proximity of the charging bay and, in response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery, a charging controller configured to provide charging power to the battery via the second antenna also includes.

[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 battery having a battery controller, one or more batteries, and a container having a plurality of protrusions corresponding to and aligned with a plurality of receptacles shaped to receive the batteries The system also includes a charging device including a charging controller and one or more charging bays shaped to receive the protrusions. Each charging bay includes a first antenna and a second antenna The method includes placing a battery in one of the plurality of receptacles of the container and placing the container on the charging device such that the protrusion corresponding to the receptacle is adjacent to one of the plurality of charging bays and the battery is disposed within the proximity of the charging bay The method also includes communicating with the battery controller of the battery using the first antenna in response to the battery disposed within the receptacle of the container being within the proximity of the charging bay and detecting, using the charging controller, that the first antenna has established communication with the battery ​​​​​​​​​​It is also detected that the first antenna has established communication with a battery disposed within a receptacle In response thereto, a step of providing charging power to the battery using a second antenna is also included.

[0009] In another embodiment, a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes a battery comprising a battery controller and a passive communication device coupled to the battery controller. The system also includes a sterilization barrier for containing the battery, and a charging device comprising a charging bay and a charging controller. The charging bay includes a first antenna configured to excite the passive communication device of the battery and establish communication with the battery controller via the excited passive communication device. The charging bay also includes a second antenna configured to provide charging power to the battery. The charging controller is configured to control the first antenna to establish communication with the battery controller via the excited passive communication device while the second antenna is deactivated. The charging controller is also configured to activate the second antenna after the first antenna has established communication with the battery controller and provide charging power to the battery via the second antenna.

[0010] In another embodiment, a method of operating a system for charging a battery is disclosed. The system includes a battery comprising a battery controller and a communication device coupled to the battery controller. The system also includes a sterilization barrier for It comprises a controller and a charging device having a charging bay. The charging bay is a first antenna The method includes the steps of placing the battery inside a sterilization barrier and The method also includes the step of placing a sterile battery on a charging device. The steps include using an antenna to excite the battery's communication device, and using a first antenna The step establishes communication with the battery controller via an excited communication device. This method includes the first antenna establishing communication with the battery controller. The steps include activating the second antenna using the charge controller, and the second antenna The further step includes providing charging power to the battery using a tenor.

[0011] Another embodiment discloses a system for charging batteries. This system comprises one or more It is equipped with a battery, and each battery is equipped with a battery controller. This system also has 1 It also includes one or more sterile barriers that hold more than one battery, and one of the batteries One battery is placed inside one of one or more sterile barriers. The system also includes a charging device having one or more charging bays, where the charging bays are the first It comprises an antenna and a second antenna. The first antenna is placed inside a sterile barrier. Depending on whether the battery is within proximity of the charging bay, the battery controller will communicate with the battery. It is configured to establish communication. The second antenna is placed inside a sterile barrier. It is configured to provide charging power to the battery. The charging device also provides the first antenna The system established communication with the battery in response to the battery being within close proximity of the charging bay. It detects whether or not, and in response to detecting that the first antenna has established communication with the battery. And, configured to provide charging power to the battery via a second antenna, It also has a controller.

[0012] Another embodiment discloses a system for charging a battery. This system is passive A communication device and a battery controller coupled to a passive communication device The battery is equipped with a battery controller that is configured to put the battery into a low-power state. The system also has a receptacle that is shaped to accept a battery, and The system also includes a container with a protrusion that is aligned with the putacle. A charging device having a charging bay that is shaped to fit inside, and a charging controller, further The charging bay energizes the battery's passive communication device, and the energized passive communication... Establishes communication with the battery controller via the communication device and provides charging power to the battery. It has one antenna configured to do so. The charge controller is the battery passive The battery controller energizes the communication device and, in response to the establishment of communication, activates the battery. To get the battery out of the low-power state, an excited passive communication device is used to connect the battery to the battery. The antenna is configured to control the charging controller in order to establish communication with the controller. Torola also has a battery controller that ensures the battery comes out of a low-power state. Accordingly, authentication data is received to authenticate the battery via the established communication, In response to authenticating the battery, it provides charging power to the battery via the antenna. It is also composed of.

[0013] Another embodiment discloses a system for charging a battery. This system is a first capacity It comprises a vessel and a second vessel. The first vessel and the second vessel each have a plurality of receptacles and a plurality It has a protrusion, and each receptacle is shaped to accept a battery, and each protrusion is Aligned with the corresponding receptacle, the number and correspondence of receptacles in the first container The number of protrusions is greater than the number of receptacles and corresponding protrusions in the second container. The system also includes a charging device with multiple charging bays, each charging bay being the The shape is such that it can accommodate the protrusion of one container or the second container, and the multiple charging bays are multiple It is arranged in rows and columns, with 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. Each charging bay is a receptacle. It features an antenna configured to provide charging power to a battery located inside the putakl. The charging device also charges a battery located inside the receptacle via an antenna. It also includes a charge controller configured to provide power.

[0014] The advantages of this disclosure will be considered in relation to the attached drawings, refer to the following detailed description. This will lead to a deeper understanding, and will therefore be easily understood. This disclosure is not limited to... Non-exclusive embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, unless otherwise specified. Throughout the various diagrams, similar numbers refer to the same parts. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a battery and charger. [Figure 2] This is a plan view of a battery attached to a power-consuming device. [Figure 3] This is a diagram showing the assembly and disassembly of a battery. [Figure 4A] This is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system comprising a battery and a wireless charging module. [Figure 4B] This is a block diagram of one embodiment of a system comprising a battery and another embodiment of a wireless charging module. [Figure 5] This is a block diagram of the various sub-circuits inside the battery controller. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram of an exemplary data structure that can be stored in the battery controller's memory. [Figure 7A] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system comprising one embodiment of a charging module and a battery container. [Figure 7B] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system comprising a second embodiment of a charging module and a plurality of battery containers. [Figure 7C] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system comprising a second embodiment of a charging module and a plurality of battery containers. [Figure 7D] This is a perspective view of one embodiment of a system comprising a third embodiment of a charging module and a sterilizable wrap. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of a battery container. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the inside of the battery container. [Figure 10] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for supplying charge to a battery. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for supplying charge to a battery. [Figure 12] This is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for supplying charge to a battery. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] In the following description, many specific details are provided so that the present invention may be fully understood. However, it is not essential to adopt specific details in order to carry out the present invention. This will be obvious to those skilled in the art. In other cases, in order that the present invention does not become obscured, known The materials or methods are not described in detail.

[0017] Throughout this specification, the terms "one embodiment," "one example," or "one example" are used interchangeably. Where mentioned, it refers to the specific features, structure, or characteristics described in relation to the example or embodiment. This means that at least one embodiment of the present invention is included. Therefore, according to this specification Through various cases, "in one embodiment," "in one example," or When the phrase "one example" appears, it does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. It is not necessarily the case. Furthermore, certain features, structures, or characteristics may be present in one or more embodiments or examples. In this context, any suitable combination and / or partial combination can be used. Furthermore, the drawings provided with this specification are for illustrative purposes to those skilled in the art, and the drawings are It will be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to an accurate scale.

[0018] This disclosure relates to charging by a wireless charging module having at least one charging bay. This section will specifically discuss autoclavable batteries that can be used for this purpose. It can sterilize, and the sterilization status of the volume contained within it is maintained. It can be placed in a battery container that can maintain this. In other words, the battery The container is designed to maintain the contents of the battery container in a sterile state until the battery container is opened. To enable this, the battery is provided. Then, the battery container is transferred to the charging module. This allows the battery to be charged while it is inside the sterile volume section. The battery can also communicate with the charging module while it is inside the sterile volume section. While the battery is being transferred to the charging module, the battery and its internal components enter a low-power state. could be.

[0019] When the battery is positioned close to the charging bay, the communication antenna associated with the charging bay It generates an electromagnetic field used to communicate with the battery and communication device. Power is connected to the charging bay. The antenna is also associated with the power antenna, and the power antenna is unavailable when the communication antenna is available. This can be done. In one embodiment, the battery communication device has a built-in antenna. This includes near-field communication (NFC) tags. In other embodiments, other tags such as RFID tags are used. A suitable circuit can be used, or a circuit coupled to the antenna. The antenna is electric Excited by a magnetic field, the battery communication device emerges from a low-power state and connects with the charging module. Pairing occurs. In one embodiment, when the tag antenna is energized, or the battery is When paired with the charging module, the battery controller, charging circuit, etc., are connected to the battery. All other components can exit the low-power state.

[0020] After the battery and charging module are paired, the charging module will charge the battery. Battery status data, such as status data and battery health data, is received from the tag. The module has a display area on one or more indicators. It can display battery status data. The charging module can also display battery operation data from the tag. It can also receive data.

[0021] When the charging module receives battery status data and / or battery operation data, By sending a related request to the battery, it indicates whether the battery is ready to be charged. It is possible to determine whether or not. A message indicating that the battery is ready to charge. If the request is answered, the charging module will start the charging process.

[0022] The charging module disables the communication antenna and the power to the charging bay related to the battery. By enabling the antenna, the charging process can be initiated. The antenna generates an electromagnetic field that inductively couples to the corresponding antenna within the battery. The electric power antenna supplies charging power to the battery antenna, and the battery cells are charged. After a predetermined time has elapsed, the charger controller disables the power antenna and... The signal antenna is made usable again, and the communication antenna and battery communication device are used for charging. The process can be restarted by pairing the device with a battery. In this way, the charger controller periodically receives update data from the battery, and It can be determined whether or not additional power should be provided to the battery wirelessly.

[0023] Considering the overview above, further details about the battery will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 6. The medical devices that can be used with the battery will be explained with reference to Figure 2. Figure 4 shows a charging module that can be used to supply charge to a battery. This will be explained with reference to Figure 7. The data structure will be explained with reference to Figure 6. The battery is transported while maintaining the sterile volume. The battery container will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Battery charging method This will be explained with reference to Figures 10 to 12.

[0024] Figure 1 shows a battery 30 and a charging module 40 according to one embodiment. The unit contains one or more rechargeable cells capable of storing electric charge (as shown in Figure 3). In a typical configuration, the charging module 40 is shaped to hold the battery in a removable manner. It has at least one socket 42. Inside the charging module 40, a virtual rectangular block There is a power supply indicated by 44. Inside the charging module 40, there is also a virtual rectangular block 46. There is also a charger controller that shows this. When the battery 30 is coupled to the charging module 40, The power source 44 applies a charging current to the battery cell 32. The charger controller 46 controls the power supply 4 The charger controller 46 adjusts the battery charging according to 4. The charger controller 46 also controls the battery 30 It is also possible to search for data in the memory of the unit and write data to memory. Various charger configurations are being considered.

[0025] Figure 2 shows a power-consuming medical device 50 coupled to the battery 30. As shown in Figure 2... Medical devices are electric devices (sometimes called surgical handpieces) used to perform surgical procedures. This is a surgical instrument 50. In other embodiments, the medical device 50 is a connected surgical head It can be used as a piece, or without limitation, for lighting, cameras, speakers, microphones, etc. It is powered by a battery 30 and is used by medical professionals, such as sensors. It may be any other device that is otherwise adapted. Clarity and consistency Therefore, a further description of the medical device 50 is generally shown through drawings and in more detail. This procedure is performed by referring to the electric surgical instruments described later. Therefore, unless otherwise instructed, The descriptions of the various components and characteristics of surgical instruments described in the manual are similar to those of other types of medical devices. This also applies to S.

[0026] In the illustrated embodiment, the instrument 50 has a pistol-shaped housing 52. The rear end of the housing 52 is shaped to removably receive the battery 30. The electric surgical instrument 50 uses electrical energy drawn from the battery cell 32 to perform medical procedures. Or a power generation component that converts energy into another form useful for performing surgical procedures. This includes. In the illustrated embodiment, the power generation component or unit is represented by a dashed rectangle 54. It is a motor. Many electric surgical instruments have a coupling assembly represented by ring 56. The combined assembly 56 is removably mounted to the power generating component with the energy applicator. The energy applicator uses the energy output by the power generation unit to provide medical... This is a device that is actually applied to the target site where the medical treatment is being performed. Power generation unit 5 If 4 is a motor, the energy applicator could be called a cutting accessory. For simplicity, the appliance power generation component draws current for other appliances to function. Even if it may have other power generation devices, it will be referred to as motor 54 below.

[0027] The device 50 also includes at least one manually operable control member. (Illustrated device 50) It has two triggers 58. The triggers 58 are used by healthcare professionals to adjust the operation of the device. Press it. There is also a control module 60 inside the device. The control module 60 is a trip Includes components that monitor the operation of GA58. Other components inside the control module include TRI In response to the operation of the GA 58, the battery cell 32 is selectively connected to the appliance motor 54. One of these other components inside the Joule 60 is the instrument processor 62.

[0028] As shown in Figure 3, the exemplary battery 30 comprises a shell 70, and inside the shell 70 is 1 One or more rechargeable cells 32 are installed. In one embodiment, the cells 32 are in series with respect to each other. They are connected to form a cell cluster. The cell cluster is located at the base of the shell 70. It is placed on top of the foam pad 34. The lid 7 is placed on top of the open upper end of the shell 70. 2 is arranged to be sealed. Battery 30 is intended for medical / surgical use. If present, the shell 70 and lid 72 together form an autoclavable housing. The lid 72 can be attached to the shell 70. The lid 72 is attached to the battery head 76. It can be formed in such a way. The battery head 76 extends into the charger socket 42. / or dimensions that fit the rear end of the appliance housing 52. Battery head Port 76 is provided with power contacts 78 and 80 and (optionally) a data contact 82. The power contacts 78 and 80 are conductive materials, and the surgical instrument 50 receives the current through them. Pull it in. Contact 78 is the cathode of battery 30, and contact 80 is the anode of battery 30. In one embodiment, which includes one or more data contacts 82, the data signal and the command signal are transmitted via the Data is written to the battery 30 via contact 82 and read from the battery 30. Therefore, the battery 30 uses the data contact 82 to communicate with the device processor 62. Data and instructions can be exchanged. These signals use a suitable wired communication protocol. It is replaced using. In other embodiments, the data contact 82 can be omitted, and the data and The commands are written wirelessly to the battery 30 and read from the battery 30. This is possible. In some embodiments, the battery head can be accessed from the lid 72 and from the battery 30. Contacts 76, power contacts 78 and 80, and data contact 82 can be omitted.

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

[0030] A circuit board 36 is mounted on the cell cluster so as to be positioned between the cell 32 and the lid 72. The circuit board 36 selectively connects the cell 32 to the anode contact 80 and the cathode contact 78. It holds the components described later. In one embodiment, the circuit board 36 is as described herein. A battery controller 38 is provided to control the operation of the battery in order to provide more detailed information. It is either connected to the battery controller 38.

[0031] In an exemplary embodiment, cell 32 is a lithium-ion cell. For example, cell 32 is However, this is not limited to lithium-ion ceramic cells, lithium iron phosphate cells, lithium Lithium iron phosphorous oxynitride cell, lithium ion Any suitable nickel-magnesium-cobalt cell or lithium-tin sulfide phosphate cell, including Examples include lead-based or lithium chemical cells. In an alternative embodiment, cell 32 is lead-based. It can be an acid or any other suitable type of cell. Each cell is properly charged. In the case of lithium iron phosphate, it has a nominal cell voltage of 3.3VDC. Not all, but many. In one embodiment, the cells are connected in series with each other. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery 30 contains three series-connected cells 32. Therefore, this version of battery 30 The unit is configured to output a potential of approximately 9.9VDC. Alternatively, several In this embodiment, at least some of the battery cells 32 are connected in parallel with each other. It is possible.

[0032] The physical structure of battery 30 may also differ from that described and illustrated. For example If one or more of the contacts 78 and 80 are attached directly to the housing 52 instead of the cover 72, It can be done. Similarly, the circuit board 36 that holds the internal electrical components of the battery 30, Instead of attaching it to the cell cluster, it can be attached to the housing 52 or the lid 72. ru.

[0033] Figure 4A shows a block of system 400, which includes a charging module 402 and a battery 30. This is a diagram. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4A, the charging module 402 connects to the battery 30 via wires. A wireless charging module that provides a wireless charging signal to wirelessly charge the battery 30. Figure 4B shows a block of system 400', i.e., another embodiment of system 400. This is a diagram. System 400' is a charging module which is one embodiment of the charging module 402. The module 402' and the battery 30 are included. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4B, the charging module 402' also provides a wireless charging signal to battery 30 to wirelessly charge battery 30 This is a wireless charging module that charges using a smuggling device.

[0034] As shown in Figure 4A, the charging module 402 consists of a power supply 404 and a charger controller 4 It comprises 08, memory 410, and one or more indicator devices 414. The 402 also includes a charger power antenna 406 and a charger communication antenna 412. It also includes a charging bay 416. In one embodiment, the charging module 402 is (as shown in Figure 1) ) A charging device such as a charging module 40. In other embodiments, a charging module 4 02 is to place the battery 30 on top in order 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 may be embedded in the appliance 50 or another suitable device. It is possible.

[0035] As shown in Figure 4B, the charging module 402' includes a power supply 404 and a charger controller. It comprises 408, memory 410, and one or more indicator devices 414. However, However, the charging module 402' is also a charging bay 4, which is one embodiment of the charging bay 416. It also has a 16' charging bay 416', power antenna 406 and charger communication antenna 41 It includes one antenna 413 configured to perform two tasks. Therefore, Antenna 413 is, in this specification, a power antenna 406 and a charger communication antenna 412. It can be configured to perform any of the tasks listed as being performed by it. In some embodiments, the charging module 402' is a wireless power consortium It can be used as a (Qi) charger.

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

[0037] The charger power antenna 406 in Figure 4A receives a signal from the power supply 404 and transmits that signal via Converts to a wireless charging signal that is transmitted wirelessly to the TTTERI 30. The signal is a radio frequency (RF) signal that can be received by the antenna 422 of battery 30. Yes. Therefore, the charger power antenna 406 transmits a charging signal to the battery 30. It acts as a signal component. Similarly, the antenna 413 in Figure 4B receives a signal from the power supply 404. It receives the signal and converts it into a wireless charging signal that is transmitted wirelessly to the battery 30. It can be configured to transmit an electrical signal to the battery 30.

[0038] In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 includes a transistor, a switch or other A switching device (not shown), such as a device, is operated to control the power antenna 406. It can be selectively enabled and disabled. Therefore, the communication antenna 412 In one activated embodiment, the charger controller 408 is a switching device By controlling the chair to prevent current from entering the power antenna 406, etc., the power antenna The controller 406 can be deactivated. Similarly, the charger controller 40 8 is when the antenna 413 receives a signal from the power supply 404 and transmits the signal wirelessly to the battery 30. Converts to a wireless charging signal to be transmitted, and / or transmits the charging signal to the battery 30. The ability to selectively enable and disable this ability.

[0039] The charger controller 408 adjusts the power supply 404 to provide suitable current, voltage, and frequency. The system may include a processor that provides the signal it possesses to the charger power antenna 406. The charger controller 408, for example, when the battery 30 requests further charge ( In response to a charge request (referred to as a charge request in the manual), it controls the provision of a charge signal to the battery 30. When the electrical controller 408 receives a charge request from the battery 30, the battery 30 is charged. It is possible to determine whether it has a sufficient level of integrity to power it. One implementation In this configuration, the charger controller 408 receives battery health data from the battery 30. The data is compared to a predetermined threshold. If the battery health data meets or exceeds the predetermined threshold, The charger controller 408 approves the charging request and supplies power to the power supply 404. Command to provide a charging signal to battery 30 via antenna 406 or antenna 413. do.

[0040] Memory 410 is a computer-readable memory device coupled to the charger controller 408. It is a chair or unit. In one embodiment, the memory 410 is a flash memory, etc. It is non-volatile random access memory (NOVRAM). Memory 410 is a charger controller When performed by the Torola 408, it adjusts the wireless charging of the battery 30. This includes sequence and charge parameter data. In one embodiment, the memory 410 also It also stores data indicating the health and / or charge status of the battery 30. For example, one actual In this configuration, the battery 30 receives data representing the health and / or charge status of the battery 30. The data is transmitted to the charger communication antenna 412. The charger communication antenna 412 receives the health data and The charging status data is transmitted to the charger controller 408, and the charger controller 408 then... The data is stored in memory 410. Memory 410 is (further described herein) (ru) Flash memory such as flash memory 504, in one embodiment, charger communication Antenna 412 is used when power is not supplied to battery 30 and / or when battery power is not available. Without communicating with the controller 38, a data indicating the health and / or charge status of the battery 30 is displayed. It can receive data.

[0041] The charger communication antenna 412 communicates bidirectionally with the battery communication device 424. It can be configured. In one embodiment, the charger communication antenna 412 is connected to the memory 41 The system receives battery health data and / or charge status data from 0, and then uses that data to charge the charger. It is provided to the controller 408. Furthermore, the charger communication antenna 412 is connected to the battery 30. It can receive a charging request and transmit that charging request to the charger controller 408. Similarly, the antenna 413 in Figure 4B communicates with the battery communication device 424. It communicates in the direction and receives battery health data and / or charge status data from memory 410. The data is then provided to the charger controller 408, and a charge request is received from the battery 30. The charging request can be configured to be sent to the charger controller 408.

[0042] In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 includes a transistor, a switch or other A switching device (not shown), such as a device, is operated to control the communication antenna 412. It can be selectively enabled and disabled. Therefore, the power antenna 406 In one activated embodiment, the charger controller 408 is a switching device By controlling the chair to prevent current from entering the communication antenna 412, communication Antenna 412 can be deactivated. Similarly, charger controller 4 08 is a device in which the antenna 413 communicates bidirectionally with the battery communication device 424 and memory 41 The system receives battery health data and / or charge status data from 0, and then uses that data to charge the charger. The controller 408 receives a charge request from the battery 30 and charges the battery. 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 battery 30. The indicator device 414 shows the status. The indicator device 414 is a display, speaker, or light-emitting diode. It can be equipped with at least one light source such as an LED. This can be an LCD, LED, or other type of display. Several implementations In this configuration, multiple indicators are used to indicate the charging modules 402, 402' and / or The status of battery 30 can be shown. As shown in Figure 4, the indicator device S414 is one or more LEDs. In one embodiment, charger controller 408 This is based on the battery health data and / or charge status data received from the battery 30. One or more indicator devices 414 can be activated. For example If the battery health data meets or exceeds a predetermined threshold, the charger controller 4 According to 08, the LED can emit green (or another suitable color). Battery health If the performance data is below a predetermined threshold, the charger controller 408 will turn the LED red. It can emit (or another preferred color). Therefore, the indicator device 414 The indicator can show the user the overall health status of the battery 30. Device 414 is further or alternatively used to indicate the charge status of the battery 30. For example, the indicator device 414 can be used when the battery 30 is fully charged. When not in use, it emits a light of the first color, and when the battery 30 is fully charged, it emits a light of the second color. It can be equipped with one or more LEDs or other light sources. Battery 30 However, it may include one or more indicator devices 414 that show the battery status to the user. It is further intended that the battery 30 itself can be a light source, display or It can be equipped with speakers.

[0044] In one embodiment, the charging module 402 each has a separate power antenna 406 and It may be equipped with multiple charging bays 416, each equipped with a communication antenna 412. The power module 402' has multiple charging bays 416', each equipped with an antenna 413. Therefore, each charging bay 416 and 416' is more than specified herein. The shape and size should be such that it can accommodate a separate battery 30, as will be explained in detail. This is possible. For example, charging modules 402 and 402' each have two similarly shaped charging modules. Battery bay 416, 416', or for housing batteries of different shapes and / or sizes. It can be equipped with two or more charging bays 416', 416' of different shapes. Therefore, each charging bay 416 is either inside the charging bay 416 or adjacent to the charging bay 416. Each of the batteries 30 that are positioned can communicate with the communication antenna 412. This allows charging power to be supplied to the battery 30 via the power antenna 406. Each charging bay 416' is located within or adjacent to the charging bay 416'. Each battery 30 can communicate via the antenna 413, and the antenna Power can be supplied to the battery 30 via the NA 413. Each charging bay 416 and 416' can be configured as a concave volume within the surface of the charger. Alternatively, The charger modules 402 and 402' are each of the same shape and size, and are multiple It can be equipped with charging bays 416 and 416' respectively.

[0045] In one embodiment, each power antenna 406 in each charging bay 416 is connected to the battery 30 when charging. It provides charging power only when it is located inside or adjacent to the charging bay 416. Therefore, the battery 30 can be inside or near the charging bay 416. When they are not positioned in contact with each other (i.e., when the charger controller 408 is in the charging bay 416) In contrast, if the presence of battery 30 is not detected, the charger controller 408 This involves deactivating the power antenna 406 of the charging bay 416 or by other means. By making it unavailable, power can be saved.

[0046] As shown in Figures 4A and 4B, the battery 30 is connected to the battery controller 38 and Tenor 422, one or more cells 32, battery communication device 424, gate 426 and The battery 30 also comprises multiple components, including a charging circuit 428. Tag 4, such as an NFC or RFID tag, can be used to communicate with tag 402. It can also be equipped with 30. The battery components described herein are (as shown in Figure 3) times It can be included in a circuit board such as a road board 36. In one embodiment, the tag 430 is via electromagnetic fields such as the electromagnetic field generated by the communication antenna 412 of the charging module 402 It is a passive tag that is inductively supplied with power.

[0047] The battery controller 38 is any suitable controller, microcontroller or It can be a microprocessor, or may be equipped with one. Battery control Roller 38 comprises several different subcircuits as shown in Figure 5. In one embodiment, The battery controller 38, as described herein, when the battery 30 is in a low power state It controls when the battery is depleted and when the battery 30 emerges from a low-power state.

[0048] Antenna 422 is configured to receive wireless charging signals from charging module 402. It has been done. Specifically, antenna 422 is the power antenna 4 of the charging module 402. It is configured to receive a charging signal from 06 and uses that signal to charge cell 32. It is configured to convert the current into a current that is sent to the charging circuit 428 for use.

[0049] Cell 32 is used to store charge within the battery 30. In one embodiment, Cell 32 is undamaged or reduced during sterilization (e.g., during the autoclave process). A high-temperature cell can be configured to maintain functionality even with damage. Cell 32 is Insulation is provided to minimize damage during sterilization or autoclave cycles. This can be done. As an insulating material, polyimide aerogel, silica aerogel or carbon aerogel can be used. Aerogels such as Allogel can be mentioned. The number of cells 32 inside the battery and The ipu can, of course, be different from what is described.

[0050] The battery communication device 424 is connected to the battery controller 38, the device 50, and the charging module. The 402 and / or a computing device such as a tablet or server are connected. It can be a transceiver that can be connected. In one embodiment, The battery communication device 424 may be equipped with a tag 430. Alternatively, battery communication Device 424 and tag 430 are separate devices. Battery communication device 424 This can be a radio frequency (RF) transceiver or an infrared (IR) transceiver. In one embodiment, the battery communication device 424 is a Bluetooth transceiver. This is possible. When the battery 30 is connected to the device 50 or the charging module 402, the battery The teri communication device 424 is located inside the instrument 50 (or another suitable medical device) or charging Battery communication device 424 exchanges signals with complementary transceivers within module 402. In one embodiment where the wireless transceiver is a battery communication device 424, the battery communication device is limited to However, any wireless network including ZigBee, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, etc. Using Rotcol and / or technology, data can be transmitted and received wirelessly. Alternatively, the battery communication device 424 uses a suitable wired protocol to connect to the device 50 and / or it can be used as a wired transceiver for transmitting data to and from a computing device. Yes, it is possible. The user can use the battery communication device 424 to connect the battery 30 and the charging module. The device 402 and / or the instrument 50 transmit data, and / or the battery 30, the charging motor Data can be received from Joule 402 and / or device 50.

[0051] The battery communication device 424 authenticates the device 50 and / or the battery 30. Authentication data can be transmitted to a medical device communication module (not shown), and / or It can receive authentication data from the medical device communication module. Similarly, the battery The communication device 424 allows the charging module 402 to authenticate the battery 30. Thus, authentication data can be sent to the charging module 402. The teri 30, charging module 402 and / or device 50 are authorized and / or mutually authorized. This ensures that only interchangeable components are used with one another.

[0052] Gate 426 is one or more circuit configurations that selectively connect cell 32 to contacts 78 and 80. It comprises components. In one embodiment, gate 426 is one such as a field-effect transistor. The transistor comprises the above transistors, where cell 32 has cathode contact 78 and anode contact 80 To selectively communicate with it, cell 32 is electrically coupled to contacts 78 and 80. It can be activated by the battery controller 38.

[0053] The charging circuit 428 charges the cell 32, that is, supplies charge or current to the cell 32. It comprises one or more circuit components that facilitate supply. In one embodiment, a battery When 30 receives a charging signal from a charging module or device 402, 402', the antenna Na 422 converts the charging signal into a current supplied to the charging circuit 428. The charging circuit 428 connects to the charging module or device 402, 40 via the antenna 422. Receives a charging signal from 2'.

[0054] The charging circuit 428 can receive current and / or voltage at cell 32. It can be adjusted to suit the desired current or voltage. Cell 32 is at maximum charge or When the battery is charged to a predefined charge state, the battery controller 38 will send an additional current The charging circuit 428 can be controlled so that power is not supplied to cell 32.

[0055] In one embodiment, the battery communication device 424 communicates with the charging module 402. The tag 430 may be equipped with a built-in antenna (not shown) used for this purpose. Alternatively, tag 430 can be coupled to battery communication device 424, or built-in It can be an independent component equipped with a battery. In some embodiments, the battery Battery data such as health, charge status and / or battery operation data, tag 43 It can be stored in 0 and communicated via NFC, RFID, or any other suitable communication protocol. This can then be transmitted to the charging module 402.

[0056] Various components of the battery 30 are positioned within the housing 432. The ring 432 may be equipped with a cover 434, and the cover 434 forms a seamless bond. It can be welded to the housing 432 to form an integrated structure. Furthermore, in order to form a sealed barrier between the cover 434 and the housing 432, The seal 436 can be positioned between the g 432 and the cover 434. 6 is formed from a material that is autoclavable and optionally compressible. For example, seal 436 may contain EPDM rubber or silicone rubber. Cut.

[0057] Contacts 78 and 80 can be attached to cover 434. (See Figures 4A and 4B) Although contacts 78 and 80 are shown to extend from cover 434, they are not connected to fixture 50. The corresponding contacts are inserted into the cover 434 and / or housing 432, and contacts 78 and contacts Partially or completely within the cover 434 and / or housing 432 to connect to 80 It should be understood that it can be accommodated. Contact 78 is called a cathode contact. There is. Contact 80 is sometimes called the anode contact. Contacts 78 and 80 (and cover 43) 4) The battery 30 is shaped in such a way that it can be detachably connected to the device 50. And it is physically fitted in that way. More specifically, contacts 78 and 80 are connected to fixture 5 To establish a physical and electrical connection with 0, the corresponding part of the device 50 is inserted into the device 50. They are physically fitted in such a way. Therefore, the cathode contact 78 and the anode contact 80 are connected to the device 50 The contact 78 is inserted inside so that a voltage is applied across both ends of the anode contact 80 and the cathode contact 78. When the 80 is activated, the battery 30 provides power to the device 50.

[0058] The housing 432 of the battery 30 contains a material suitable for autoclave cycles. This is possible. Battery assembly including battery components, housing 432 and cover 434 The buri (fish) along with the instrument 50 was sterilized by steam sterilization, hydrogen peroxide sterilization or other suitable sterilization technique. Alternatively, it is configured to be sterilized separately from instrument 50. "Sterilized" means that the process Once the process is complete, the housing 432 or cover 434 will be at least 10 -6 Sterilized water This means that it has a sterilization assurance level (SAL). This means that the probability of a single viable microorganism being present in the item is less than 1 in 1,000,000. This definition of sterilization is "Safe Handling and Biological Decontamination of Medical A presentation titled "Devices in Health Care Facilities and Nonclinical Settings" by ANSI / This is the definition shown in AAMI ST35-1966. In alternative applications, "sterilization" is used. The process, once completed, ensures that the housing 432 or cover 434 is at least 1 0 -4 Having the SAL is sufficient.

[0059] Furthermore, many versions of the battery 30 have an autoclavable housing 43. It may have 2 or cover 434, but it does not always have to be so. This feature is often In this case, it is not part of the design of a battery not designed for medical / surgical applications. One of the features of this battery 30 is that it is often referred to as a non-sterile battery in a sterile housing. It can be incorporated into a device. The non-sterile battery in the sterile housing has cell clusters and It comprises a circuit board, and relative to the circuit board, a cell regulator (voltage regulator), a transistor (for example) For example, FETs, resistors, capacitors, and microprocessors or battery controllers. These are some of the electrical components that are installed. This cell cluster is not autoclavable. Instead, the cell cluster is removably fitted into an autoclavable housing. It can be inserted. Once the cell is fitted into the housing, the housing is sealed. Therefore, the cells and other cluster-forming components are sealed within a sterile enclosure. The contacts, integrated with both the raster and the housing, provide a contact path through which current flows. Supplied from the battery. Further analysis of the structure of the non-sterile battery assembly within the sterile housing. The solution is “ASEPTIC BATTERY WITH A REMOVAL CELL CLUSTER, THE CELL CLUSTER CONFIGURED A U.S. patent titled "For charging in a socket that receives a sterilizable battery" Issue 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 This can be obtained from International Publication No. 2007 / 090025, titled ", and the above patent and The contents disclosed in this application shall, by reference, constitute part of this specification.

[0060] Some batteries also have auxiliary components. This could include an internal sensor, data acquisition circuit, memory, or control processor. These components monitor the environment to which the battery is exposed and collect data on battery usage. It stores data about the medical device to which the battery is attached, and / or stores data about the medical device to which the battery is attached. It is possible. The auxiliary component is "BATTERY CHARGER ESPECIALLY USEFUL WITH STERILI U.S. Patent No. 6,018,227, titled "ZABLE RECHARGEABLE BATTERY PACKS", and "SY STEM AND METHOD FOR RECHARGING A BATTERY EXPOSED TO A HARSH ENVIRONMENT” U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 0090788 / International Publication No. 2007 / 050439 It may include or be similar to the auxiliary components described in the above. The disclosures of patents and applications shall constitute part of this specification by reference. If one or more of these auxiliary components are provided in the battery housing, The device may be equipped with auxiliary contacts (for example, data contacts 82). These auxiliary contacts are , the connection through which a signal is received from and / or transmitted to an auxiliary component. It can be represented as a point.

[0061] Figure 5 is a block diagram showing various subcircuits or components of the battery controller 38. Yes. In Figure 5, the following subcircuits or components are included within the battery controller 38. It is shown as such, but one or more of the subcircuits or components may be any suitable device. It is understood that it may be included in a seat, module, or part of battery 30. It is.

[0062] In an exemplary embodiment, the central processing unit (CPU) 502 is a battery controller 38 It controls the operation of components connected to the battery controller. Non-volatile flash Memory 504 stores instructions to be executed by CPU 502. As described in detail, flash memory 504 also regulates battery 30 charge. Instructions used for this purpose, data describing the usage history of battery 30, and battery 30 It also stores data describing the usage history of the device 50 to which it is attached.

[0063] Random access memory 506 is read and generated by the battery controller 38. It functions as a temporary buffer for the data being processed. CPU clock 508, CPU 5 It supplies the clock signal used to regulate the operation of 02. For simplicity, a single block As shown, the CPU clock 508 is generated along with the on-chip oscillator, and from the oscillator It should be understood that the system includes a sub-circuit that converts the output signal into a CPU clock signal. The 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 is one or more sensors or other components of the battery 30, such as a temperature sensor (not shown). It is used to process the output signal. In Figure 5, the above subcircuit is connected to a single bus 516. Therefore, it is shown that they are interconnected. It should be understood that this is for simplicity's sake. Yes, in practice, dedicated lines can connect some of the subcircuits to each other. Similarly, it is understood that the battery controller 38 may have other sub-circuits. These subcircuits are not specifically related to the present invention and therefore will not be described in detail. I won't reveal it.

[0065] Figure 6 shows the flash memory in addition to the instructions executed by the battery controller 38. This is a block diagram of the data structure 600 that can be stored in R504 (shown in Figure 5). Data structure 600 consists of one or more fields in one or more records or files. As 02, data such as battery operation data can be stored. As one example, Identification data 604 can be stored in a file and used to identify battery 30. This is possible. Identification data 604 may include, for example, a serial number, lot number, and manufacturer's identification. It may include other information and / or an authorization code. The authorization code or other identifying information may be included in the The device 50 or charging module 402 to which the battery 30 is connected authenticates the battery 30. For example, whether the battery 30 can supply power to the device 50, or charging Each module determines whether or not the battery 30 can be recharged by module 402. (to do so) it can be read. Flash memory 504 also has battery 30 It can also include field 606, which indicates the service life (sometimes called "useful life data"). 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 performed on battery 30, battery This is the number of autoclave treatments or cycles that R30 has undergone. Other fields are B The nominal open-circuit voltage 608 of the signal generated by the battery 30 is generated by the battery 30. The current that can be generated is 610, and the amount of available energy is 612 (expressed, for example, in joules). It can demonstrate this.

[0066] The charging command 614 for the battery 30 can be stored in field 602. The data is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 6,018,227 and No. 6,184,655. The battery memory may contain data of the type described in the above patent. The contents shown here shall constitute part of this specification by reference.

[0067] Flash memory 504 also contains the battery 30's charging history 616 and autoclave history This also includes data that records history 618. For example, as part of the charging history 616 of battery 30. Along with data showing the number of times the battery 30 has been charged, each charging cycle has started. It can store a timestamp indicating the time of entry / exit.

[0068] As part of the autoclave history 618 of battery 30, flash memory 504, The total number of times battery 30 has been autoclaved, and / or the number of times battery 30 has been autoclaved The system stores data indicating the cumulative amount of time the subject was exposed to temperatures above a threshold considered to be a low temperature. This is possible. In one non-limiting embodiment, the threshold temperature is approximately 130 degrees Celsius. In a more specific embodiment, the threshold temperature is approximately 134 degrees Celsius. However, the threshold temperature It should be understood that this can be any suitable temperature. Field 602 Autoclave processing history 618 also indicates that battery 30 may be excessive. The data may also include information showing the number of times and / or cumulative time the subject was exposed to the crave cycle. The autoclave history 618 also shows that battery 30 was exposed to the highest autoclave temperature. Peak autoclave temperature data showing degrees, and battery 30's autoclave cycle Along with the amount of time spent inside the autoclave for each of the units, the autoclave was also used to store the autoclave in battery 30. This can also include the longest single period during which the groove was applied.

[0069] The measured post-charge voltage field 620 is the measured negative voltage of battery 30 after each charge. Includes data showing the voltage under load. In some embodiments, field 620 is the latest 1 These measurements include only those for 10 to 10 charge cycles. See separate field 622. The data showing the highest battery temperature measured during the preceding charging cycle is stored. In this case as well, Field 622 is the most recent 1 to 10 charge cycles of the battery. It may only include data showing the highest temperature measured during the test.

[0070] The flash memory 504 also includes a device use field 624, as described later. In the device usage field 624, the battery 30 is employed to supply power. The system stores data obtained from the instrument 50 or other medical devices. For example, in one embodiment... Then, the device usage field 624 is the number of times the battery 30 was connected to the device 50, the device The number of times the trigger of the device 50 was pulled, during the operation of the device 50 (i.e., the runtime of the device 50) The total amount of time the battery 30 supplied power to the device 50, and the power supply operations performed on the device 50. Number of krus, maximum temperature to which the appliance 50 was exposed, current consumption of the appliance 50, speed hiss of the appliance 50 A list of serial numbers or other identifiers of devices that the battery 30 interacted with, including a togram. Data indicating and / or any other suitable data for the device 50 can be stored. However, it is understood that the device usage field 624 does not contain patient data. It should. The data stored in the device usage field 624 of the medical device 50 It can be transmitted by the communication module and received by the battery communication device 424. Cut.

[0071] Figure 7A shows an oblique view of the system 700, which includes a charging module 402 and a battery container 702. This is a view. Figures 7B and 7C show a system 700 with an example of a charging module 402. This is a perspective view of another embodiment, in which the charging module 402 has a further charging bay 416 and multiple It is equipped with several battery containers 702. Figure 7D shows the charging module 402' (shown in Figure 4B). and a system 700' comprising a sterilizable wrap 703, i.e., an implementation of system 700. This is a perspective view of the form. Each battery container 70 2 can accept one or more batteries 30, and each charging module 402 and 4 02' can accept one or more battery containers 702. Regarding point 2, please refer to Figures 8 and 9 for further details.

[0072] In one embodiment, the charging module 402 may include a plurality of charging bays 416. For example, in Figure 7A, the charging module 402 has four charging bays 416, and Figure 7 In Figures B and 7C, the charging module 402 has eight charging bays 416. The 402 can alternatively have six separate bays. In addition, it has four charging bays. 16 can be arranged in any preferred manner. For example, in Figure 7A, in a single row R , four charging bays 416 are located. In Figures 7B and 7C, each row R is one of four charging bays 416. Eight charging bays 416 are arranged in two rows R, including bay 416 or three bays. In Figures 7B and 7C, eight charging bays are arranged such that each row C contains two charging bays 416. It can also be stated that the power bay 416 is located in four columns C. The charging module 402 receives part of the battery 30 and / or battery container 702. It can only have a single charging bay 416. See Figure 4A as described above. Each charging bay 416 is connected to a power antenna 40 connected to a charger controller 408. It is equipped with 6 and a communication antenna 412. Each charging bay 416 is less than 6 of the battery container 702. Both have a shape and size that partially accommodates it.

[0073] In various embodiments, the charging module 402 is a suitable method for charging the battery 30. It can be made into an appropriate shape. For example, referring to Figure 7D, the charging module 402' The charging bay 416' is for placing the battery 30 wrapped in sterilizable wrap 703. This includes practically flat wireless power consortium (Qi) chargers, etc. In some embodiments, the charging bays 416 and 416' are shown as flat surfaces. It may include a friction surface to prevent the battery 30 from slipping.

[0074] The system 700 comprises one battery container 702 or multiple battery containers 702. It is possible. Referring to Figure 7A, the system 700 has a charging module as shown in the figure. One battery container 7 can be placed in a single row R of the charging bay 416 of 402. It includes 02. In Figure 7B, the system 700 includes the charging module 402 as shown. Two battery containers 702a and can be placed in two rows R of the charging bay 416. It is equipped with 702b. In Figure 7C, the system 700 is shown as a charging bay 416 Four battery containers 702c, 702d, and 702 can be arranged in four columns C. It comprises e and 702f. Several actual systems of system 700, such as system 700' in Figure 7D. The application method may include a sterilizable wrap 703. In such embodiments, sterilizable The battery 30 can be placed inside the wrap 703. And as shown in Figure 7D... The battery 30, wrapped in sterilizable wrap 703, is placed on top of the charging bay 416. It can be charged when placed on top of the 416' charging bay.

[0075] Each battery 30 in the associated receptacle of the battery container 702 is close to the charging bay 416. The battery container 702 is positioned close to the charging module 402 so that it is in contact with and positioned. Once positioned, the battery 30 is connected to the battery via the communication antenna 412 of the charging bay 416. The charging controller 408 can communicate through the charging container 702, and the charging bay 416 The charging power can be received via the power antenna 406. In a specific embodiment, The protrusions aligned with each receptacle of the battery container 702 are located on the charging module 40 Each battery container 702 can be placed on top of a respective charging bay 416 of 2 for charging mode on top of the charger 402.

[0076] Furthermore, referring again to the charging module 402 shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the number of receptacles and the number of corresponding protrusions in the first container such as container 702a or 702b in FIG. 7B is greater than the number of receptacles and the number of corresponding protrusions in the second container such as containers 702c, 702d, 702e or 702f in FIG. 7C. Referring again to the charging module 402 shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C, the number of columns C of the charging bays 416 of the charging module 402 corresponds to the number of receptacles and protrusions in the first container, and the number of rows R corresponds to the number of receptacles and protrusions in the second container. Specifically the first container shown as container 702a or 702b in FIG. 7B has 4 receptacles and corresponding protrusions. The second container shown as containers 702c, 702d, 702e or 702f in FIG. 7C has 2 receptacles and corresponding protrusions. Therefore, the charging module 402 has 4 columns C and 2 rows R of charging bays 416. In other embodiments, the number of columns C and rows R of the charging module 402 in the first and second containers and the number of receptacles and protrusions can be changed. For example, the number of columns C is greater than the number of rows R in the embodiments of FIGS. 7B and 7C, but 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 includes a display area (70) having a plurality of indicators that provide information related to the status of the battery (30) being charged by the charging module 402. can include 6. In one embodiment, the charging display 708 is associated with each charging bay 416 of the charging module -rule 402. Each charging display 708 includes an indicator 710 (hereinafter referred to as the charging state indicator 710) representing the charging state of the battery 30 being charged by the charging bay 41 6, and an indicator 712 (hereinafter referred to as the soundness indicator 712) representing the soundness of the battery 30 being charged by the charging bay 416. In one embodiment, the soundness of each battery 30 can be determined in the same manner as described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 523,494 entitled "SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AN A MOUNT OF DEGRADATION OF A MEDICAL DEVICE BATTERY", and the disclosure of the above application is hereby incorporated by reference into this specification. Each indicator can be implemented using one or more of the indicator devices 414 described above with reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B and FIGS. 4B. Accordingly, each indicator can include an LED or other light source that illuminates all or a portion of the indicator to indicate soundness and / or charging state to the user . Alternatively, each indicator can include any other suitable device or display that allows the user to view data representing the soundness and / or charging state of each battery 30 . Further or alternatively, one or more of the indicators can be provided on or within each battery 30. As will be described more fully herein, the data representing the soundness and charging state of each battery 30 is communicated by the communication unit of the charging bay 416 in which the battery 30 is disposed internally or in proximity to it. to it. to it. to it. to it. to it.

[0078] As described more fully herein, the data representing the soundness and charging state of each battery 30 is communicated by the communication unit of the charging bay 416 in which the battery 30 is disposed internally or in proximity Through Tena 412, the battery 30 can transmit to the charging module 402. The data is transmitted from the communication antenna 412 to the charger controller 408. The controller 408 has a charge status indicator 710 and a health indicator 712, The display reflects the charge status data and health data received from the battery 30. Control ray region 706.

[0079] In some embodiments, the display area 706 is also the charging module 402 It also includes a temperature indicator 714 that displays data representing the ambient temperature of the environment in which it is installed. The electrical controller 408 receives the ambient temperature detected by the temperature sensor (not shown in Figure 7A). The charger controller 408 can receive one or more signals indicating that The temperature is to be displayed in the form of a digital display or any other suitable display. This allows for the control of the temperature indicator 714.

[0080] In another embodiment, the display area 706 can be selected or pressed by the user. Includes the refresh icon 716. The charger controller 408 allows the user to refresh The device can receive a signal by selecting or pressing the 716 icon, and charging The electrical controller 408 responds by starting to refresh the display area 706. This is possible. The refresh rate of the display area 706 is determined by the charging state of each display 30. The condition, the health of each battery 30, and the ambient temperature of the environment in which the charging module 402 is located. This may include re-determination and re-display.

[0081] In one embodiment, the charging module 402 and / or battery container 702 are each battery One or more cells are used to measure the sterility status of the Terri 30 and / or the sterilization volume section 902 (shown in Figure 9). It can be equipped with a sensor. The sensor sends a signal representing the measured sterilization status to the charger controller. It can send to the 408, and the charger controller 408 displays area 70 The measured sterility status can be displayed on the relevant indicator within 6.

[0082] Furthermore, or alternatively, the charger controller 408 has an input in the display area 706. The dicator can display the sterilization status of each battery 30 and / or the sterilization volume section 902. Yes, it is possible. For example, the battery 30 is placed inside the battery container 702, and the battery container 702 Once sterilized, the temperature sensor inside the battery container 702 indicates the autoclave process. The battery will not be exposed to temperatures (e.g., temperatures above 130 degrees Celsius) or temperatures indicating other sterilization processes. It can be detected that container 702 is exposed, and this is stored in memory (not shown). The pins or part of the data are connected to the sterile volume section 902 and the battery located inside the sterile volume section 902. This can reflect that the Teri30 is in a sterile state. Another sensor can indicate that the battery Detects when the container 702 is open (for example, when the top is removed). This allows the sterilization volume section 902 and the sterilization volume to be assigned to pins or part of the data stored in memory. This reflects the possibility that the battery 30 located within the stacking section 902 may no longer be in a sterile state. It can be done. The charger controller 408 indicates the sterilization status of the battery container 702. It can receive signals and reflect the sterilization status in the indicator within the display area 706. It can be made to happen.

[0083] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the bottom of the battery container 702. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the interior of the battery container 702. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the battery container 702 is substantially rectangular in shape. However, it should be understood that the battery container 702 can be of any suitable shape that allows the container to operate as described herein. In one embodiment, the battery container 702 optionally includes a housing 802 having two opposing side portions 804, two opposing end portions 806, a bottom 808, and a top 809. In one embodiment, the housing 802 is sealable to provide and maintain a sterilization volume 902 (shown in FIG. 9) inside the battery container 702. In one embodiment, the top 809 (or another suitable portion) of the housing 802 is removable so that one or more batteries 30 can be removably disposed inside one or more corresponding receptacles 810 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 8) provided within the battery container 702. In such embodiments, the battery container 702 includes a protrusion 813 that is aligned with the corresponding receptacle 810. The protrusion defined by the outer surface of the battery container is typically aligned perpendicular to the receptacle, and the receptacle is aligned with the battery by inserting the battery into the receptacle. Thus, by positioning the protrusion of the battery container within the charging bay of the charger, one or more antennas of the battery are functionally aligned with one or more antennas of the charger.

[0084] In one embodiment, the battery container 702 optionally includes a housing 802 having two opposing side portions 804, two opposing end portions 806, a bottom 808, and a top 809. In one embodiment, the housing 802 is sealable to provide and maintain a sterilization volume 902 (shown in FIG. 9) inside the battery container 702. In one embodiment, one or more batteries 30 can be removably disposed inside one or more corresponding receptacles 810 (shown in phantom lines in FIG. 8) provided within the battery container 702. ] so that the top 809 (or another suitable portion) of the housing 802 is removable. In such embodiments, the battery container 702 includes a protrusion 813 that is aligned with the corresponding receptacle 810. The protrusion defined by the outer surface of the battery container is typically aligned perpendicular to the receptacle, and the receptacle is aligned with the battery by inserting the battery into the receptacle. Thus, by positioning the protrusion of the battery container within the charging bay of the charger, one or more antennas of the battery are functionally aligned with one or more antennas of the charger.

[0085] ​​​​​​​​​Furthermore, in some embodiments, the user can access the battery 30 in the receptacle 810. To allow viewing of the status of the battery 30, the housing 802 At least a part of it is at least partially transparent, translucent, and / or opaque. For example. As shown in Figure 1, the battery 30 indicates the charge state and / or health of the battery 30. This can include a battery status indicator 75 such as an LED. In this configuration, the housing 802 may include a transparent portion 811, and the battery 30 is a receiver When placed inside the tackle 810, the battery status indicator 75 is in the transparent part 811 It can be made visible through. In another such embodiment, the housing 802 is less Even if not completely transparent, it can be partially transparent, and the battery 30 is located inside the receptacle 810. When this happens, the battery status indicator 75 is made visible through the housing 802. It is possible.

[0086] In one embodiment, each side 804 allows sterilization gas to enter the inside of the housing 802. It is equipped with multiple ventilation holes 812 to allow this to be done. To block or minimize the amount of potential contaminants, housing 802 A filter (not shown) can be attached to the surface of the ventilation hole 812 facing the interior. For example, the filter works in conjunction with the housing 802 to sterilize the entire battery container 702. The sterile state of the sterile volume section 902 can be maintained thereafter. Therefore, the sterile volume section 90 2. Unless the housing 802 is opened, the battery container 702 will not be moved to a non-sterile location. Even if exposed to sunlight, it can be maintained in a sterile state.

[0087] Referring to Figure 9, as described above, each receptacle 810 removes the battery 30. The size and shape are such that they can be accommodated. Figure 9 shows three receptacles 810 (and The battery container 702 has three protrusions (813) not shown, but the battery container The battery container 7 Any suitable number of receptacles 810 and corresponding protrusions 813 can be provided within 02. It should be understood what is possible. For example, in one embodiment, each battery container 70 2 consists of only a single receptacle 810 and protrusion 813 that accept a single battery 30. It can be provided with each protrusion 813 opposite the charging module 402. It is sized and shaped so that it can be placed on top of the corresponding charging bay 416. Each receptacle 810 and protrusion 813 is connected to a battery located inside the receptacle 810. The 30 is aligned with the power antenna 406 and communication antenna 412 of the charging bay 416. In order to maintain this state, it is shaped to align with the corresponding charging bay 416. be.

[0088] In one embodiment, a removable tray 904 is provided inside the battery container 702. This is possible. In one such embodiment, the battery 30 can be placed inside the tray 904. The tray 904 is placed inside the battery container 702, or removed from the battery container 702. It can be removed. The tray 904 may have one or more handles 906, The tray 904 can be easily grasped and lifted by the handles 906, and the battery container It can be inserted and removed from 702.

[0089] During operation, the battery 30 is sterilized by two methods, mainly according to the embodiments described herein. And it can be moved to the desired location of use (for example, an operating room). First, the battery 30 can be sterilized by an autoclave process (or another suitable process), It can be placed inside the container 702. Alternatively, the sterilization volume section 902 can be preferably sterilized. To ensure that this is done, the battery container 702 can be sterilized. Therefore, in order to maintain the sterile state of the battery 30, the battery 30 is placed in the battery container 7 It is placed in the corresponding receptacle 810 within the sterile volume section 902 of 02. Battery container The top 809 of 702 (or other removable part) prevents microorganisms from entering container 702. It is placed on top of container 702 so that it is microbially sealed. While maintaining the sterile state of the Teri 30 and the sterilization volume section 902, the battery container 702 is moved to the desired It can be transported to the place of use or by other means.

[0090] Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7D, sterilizable wrap 703 (referred to as "blue wrap") can be used. The battery 30 can be placed inside (also available). The sterilizable wrap 703 is sterilizable The battery 30 will remain sterile until wrap 703 is removed. It can be sterilized together with 30. The sterilized battery 30 is wrapped in sterilizable wrap 703. The charging modules 402 are held inside and, after the sterilization process, placed on top of each charging bay 416. It can be placed in the operating room or other location of use. Once prepared, the battery 30 can be removed from the sterilizable wrap 703. In an embodiment where the 30 is equipped with a battery status indicator 75, as shown in Figure 7D The sterilizable wrap 703 may include a transparent portion 705, and the battery 30 is sterilizable. When placed inside the wrap 703, the battery status indicator 75 is located in the transparent part 70 It can be made visible through 5. In other embodiments, the sterilizable wrap 703 is less Both can be partially transparent, and the battery 30 is placed inside the sterilizable wrap 703. Then, the battery status indicator 75 becomes visible through the sterilizable wrap 703. It is possible.

[0091] In the second method, before sterilization, the corresponding receptacle 810 of the battery container 702 is... The battery 30 can be placed inside the container 702. Meanwhile, the battery container 702 is sterilized using an autoclave process (or other suitable sterilization process). It can be sterilized. Therefore, in this embodiment, the battery 30 and battery capacity The container 702 can be sterilized together, and the sterilization volume section 902 can be formed or maintained in a sterile state. This is possible. And while maintaining the sterile state of the battery 30 and the sterile volume section 902 The battery container 702 can be transported to the desired location of use or transported by other means. Cut.

[0092] Therefore, as described herein, the battery 30 is sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering. It can be placed inside the closed sterilization volume section 902 and in close proximity to the charging module 402. It can be placed there. The battery 30 is sealed so that microorganisms do not enter the sterile volume section 902. While remaining in this state, the charging module 402 provides charging power to the battery 30. This is possible. Furthermore, while the battery 30 is sealed inside the sterile volume section 902, the charging module Route 402 communicates with battery 30 to obtain battery operating status, battery status data, and / or any other suitable data described herein can be obtained. In this state, the battery 30 can be placed inside the container 702 before 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. The battery 30 can be placed inside, and after charging, the charged battery 30 will sterilize until the container 702 is opened. The container 702 and battery 30 are sterilized so that they can be stored in a sterilized and charged state. It is possible.

[0093] Figures 10 to 12 show the battery 30 and charging module 402 used as described herein. Examples of providing an electric charge to a battery (i.e., "charging" the battery) This is a flowchart of an exemplary method 1000. In one embodiment, method 1000 is a charging motor The contents stored in one or more memory devices of the Joule 402 and / or Battery 30 This is done by executing computer-readable commands. For example, charger controller 40 8 and / or battery controller 38 memory 410 and / or flash memory 5 Execute the instructions stored in 04 to perform the function of method 1000 described herein. It is possible.

[0094] Referring to Figure 10, in one embodiment, the charging module 402 is connected to the communication antenna 4 Make 12 usable or activate (1002) and connect to the charging module 402 One or more batteries 30 located in close proximity are detected. In a specific embodiment, While the power antenna 406 is deactivated, the communication antenna 412 is activated It is activated. When the communication antenna 412 is activated, the charging module 402 Enter discovery mode. During discovery mode, the charging module 402 will place the battery 30 in the charging bay. When positioned close to 416, it detects that the battery 30 is in close proximity. For example, The battery container 702 containing the battery 30 is located in the charging bay 416 or charging When positioned on the charging module 402 so as to be located in close proximity to 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 24 is energized (1004). Battery 30 is initially battery 30 One or more components (e.g., battery controller 38) are at least partially defective. It may be in an activated low-power state. Furthermore, or alternatively, the battery control - For example, based on the presence of an electromagnetic field, the battery 30 is connected to the charging module 402. It can detect when objects are placed in close proximity.

[0095] In response to the excitation of tag 430, the electromagnetic field detection pin or device within tag 430 It can be set (1006). In another embodiment, more details are described herein. The battery 30 is positioned in close proximity to the charging bay 416. When paired, the electromagnetic field detection pin can be made available. Electromagnetic field detection pin According to setting (1006), the battery 30 exits the low power state (i.e., "we (Activated) The components of the battery 30 are activated in an operating state or full power state. - Enters a state. In one embodiment, charging power is provided by the charging module 402. Until (for example, by the power antenna 406 to provide charging power to the battery 30) Until the electromagnetic field is established, the battery 30 is in low power state and full power state. Power is drawn from the Ricell 32.

[0096] As used herein, a low-power state means that at least some parts of the battery 30 are It becomes unusable, and battery 30 is in a full-power state where all parts of the battery are usable. This refers to a power state that consumes less power than the normal state. In one embodiment, the battery While the battery 30 is in a low-power state, the battery controller 38 supplies approximately 20 milliamperes (mA). ) can draw a current of less than 30. Alternatively, the low power state is less than 30% of the battery. It can also be characterized as a power state in which some parts become unusable, and battery The controller 38 draws less than 5% of the current that the battery 30 draws when it is at full power. The more current is drawn, the more the battery controller 38 becomes unusable.

[0097] In one embodiment, the tag 430 is affected by the electromagnetic field generated by the communication antenna 412. When energized, the antenna in the tag 430 or battery communication device 424 will communicate A pairing message is sent to the antenna 412, and the battery communication device 424 communicates. To pair with the Container 412 (1010) (therefore, battery 30 (Pairs with the charging bay 416 and the charging module 402). In a specific embodiment, Tag 430 is an NFC tag, and the battery communication device 424 communicates via the NFC tag. In response to the excitation of tag 430 by antenna 412, communication is performed using the NFC protocol. It can be paired with the Container 412. Alternatively, Bluetooth or other wireless Using a preferred protocol, the charging module 402 and / or charging bay 416 and the battery The Terry 30 can be paired. A pair of battery 30 and charging module 402. During ringing, the charging module 402 receives authentication data from battery 30 and then charges battery 3 It is possible to authenticate 0. In one embodiment, battery authentication The data can be stored in the tag 430, and the charging module 402 charges the battery 30. To enable authentication, the communication antenna 412 is transmitted to the charger controller 408. Therefore, it can be made readable. Thus, the charging module 402 is approved. Ensure that only battery 30 receives charging power from the charging module 402. It is possible.

[0098] In one embodiment, the battery 30 can exit a low-power state in stages (1 008). In the first stage, the battery communication device is activated by the excitation (1004) of tag 430. When the 424 emerges from a low-power state, the battery communication device 424 is paired with the charging bay 416. It can be done. In the second stage, the charging bay 416 of the battery communication device 424 Depending on the pairing, the rest of the battery 30 (including the battery controller 38) ) can exit the low power state (1008). Alternatively, the excitation of tag 430 (1 004) As a result, all parts of the battery 30 come out of the low-power state substantially simultaneously. This can be done, or the battery 30 can perform any other suitable procedure to exit the low-power state. It is possible.

[0099] In one embodiment, the battery controller 38 moves to the next step of method 1000. Before that, after the battery 30 emerged from the low power state (1008), a predetermined amount of time (150 mm) had passed. It can wait (for seconds or another suitable time, etc.). After a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, the battery The controller 38 sets the battery 30 to "pass-through" mode 1012, electromagnetically The field detection pin can be reconfigured. In pass-through mode 1012, within tag 430 The stored data is transmitted to the charging module 402 via the communication antenna 412, and 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 otherwise If, for any reason, it is not possible to communicate with the charging module 402 and / or tag 430 However, the data stored in tag 430 can be read by charging module 402. It should be understood that this is possible.

[0100] Once Tag 430 is paired and pass-through mode is set (1012), the charging mode Joule 402 receives data regarding the battery status from battery 30 (hereinafter referred to as "battery status"). The reception (1014) of "state data" is initiated. In one embodiment, the charging module L402 communicates with the battery controller 38 to request battery status data. One or more messages are sent to the battery communication device 424 via the antenna 412. The battery controller 38 receives a message from the battery communication device 424 and responds In response, battery status data is provided (1016). In one embodiment, the battery controller The Torola 38 stores the battery status in the tag 430 in preparation for transmission to the charging module 402. The data is temporarily stored. Then, the charging module 402 receives the battery data from the tag 430. The status data can be read directly, and the battery is stored in the memory 410 of the charging module 402. It can store state data.

[0101] The battery status data includes the charge status, health, and / or any other preferred status of the battery 30. It may include data such as the charge status, 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. It can include...

[0102] In a specific embodiment, the battery controller 38 controls the charging module 4 of the tag 430. Battery status data can be stored in a predetermined block of the data transmitted to 02. When each block of data is transmitted to the charging module 402, the charger controller 408 This is done via the communication antenna 412 to confirm that the data block has been received correctly. A response message or signal is sent to the battery controller 38. In a particular embodiment, Each block of data is 64 bytes. Alternatively, each block of data is any It can contain a suitable number of bytes.

[0103] The charging module 402, after receiving battery status data, reflects the received data. The display can be updated in this way (1018). For example, the charger controller Based on the received data, the RA408 displays the battery 30 on the charge status indicator 710. The current charge status is reflected, and the health indicator 712 displays the current health status of the battery 30. Commands or signals can be sent to display area 706 to reflect this. ru.

[0104] Referring to Figure 11, battery status data is received and the display area 706 is updated. After that, the charging module 402 requests battery operation data from the battery 30. This is possible (1020). In one embodiment, battery operation data is shown above, see Figure 6. As described above, it may include data stored within the data structure 600. Furthermore or alternative Alternatively, the charging module 402 can request and receive any other suitable data. The charger controller 408 communicates to receive battery operation data. Signals or requests can be transmitted to antenna 412. The communication antenna 412 is battery A signal or request can be sent to the communication device 424 (1022), battery communication Device 424 sends a signal or request to the battery controller 38. Upon receiving the signal, the battery controller 38 transmits to the charging module 402. In preparation for this, battery operation data is stored in the tag 430 of the battery communication device 424. It is possible.

[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 the data transmitted to 02. 1024). As described above, each block of data is sent to the charging module 402. When (1026) is performed, the charger controller 408 ensures that the data block is received correctly. To confirm, an acknowledgment message or signal is sent via the communication antenna 412 to the battery. The data is sent to controller 38. In a particular embodiment, each block of data is 64 bytes. Alternatively, each block of data can contain any suitable number of bytes. The charging module 402 is controlled by the battery controller 38, which transmits battery operation data. Additional blocks of battery operation data will be sent until a message indicating completion is sent. It can be requested continuously. Alternatively, the charging module 402 is the charging module 4 Until a predetermined amount of battery operation data is received by 02, additional battery operation data will be added. Blocks can be requested sequentially. In one embodiment, a predetermined amount of battery operation The data includes 3 kilobytes of data. In another embodiment, a predetermined amount of battery operation data The size of the data structure 600 (i.e., what can be stored within the data structure 600) (Includes the amount of data.)

[0106] After the transmission of battery operation data is complete, the charging module 402 will control the battery controller. - The 38 is ready to begin receiving charging power from the charging module 402. A message requesting a response can be sent to the battery controller 38. kiru (1028). This request can be called a "charge ready request". Battery Co When the controller 38 receives a charge-ready request, if one or more battery parameters are allowed It is possible to determine whether or not it is within an acceptable range. For example, battery controller 3 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 an acceptable range. If interrupted, a message will appear indicating that battery 30 is ready to receive charging power. This can be replied to the charging module 402 (1030). This message is: This can be called "Charging Ready Confirmation". The charging ready confirmation message is displayed on the battery 30 The charger controller (and its components) has moved from a low-power state to a full-power state. It can also serve as a notification to the Torola 408. (Battery Controller) 38 also disables the battery communication device 424 in preparation for receiving charging power. Alternatively, it can be deactivated. For example, the battery controller 38 can charge The power module 402 is switched to a power supply state, or the battery 30 is otherwise powered. The charger controller sends a signal or message indicating that it is ready to provide charging power. It can receive from 408. The charging module 402 receives the confirmation that charging is ready. Then, as shown in Figure 12, the supply of charging power to the battery 30 begins. However, the battery controller 38 does not send a charging readiness confirmation, or instead Error message caused by one or more battery parameters being outside the acceptable range. When transmitting data, the charging module 402 prevents the supply of power to the battery 30. This can be done, and method 1000 can be terminated.

[0107] In one embodiment, the error message is executed by the battery controller 38. In response to a self-diagnostic procedure or other test, the battery controller 38 generates For example, the battery controller 38 can control one or more parallel batteries 30. It can receive a sensor signal representing a meter, and the sensor signal can be used to determine a predetermined threshold or usage standard. In comparison, is battery 30 functioning correctly or in an otherwise acceptable state of health? It is possible to determine whether or not it exists. The error message is from battery communication device 424. The communication antenna 412 can transmit via the battery controller 38. The error message can be received by the charging module 402 via the charging module. This can be reflected in the health indicator 712 of module 402. For example, health Indicator 712 indicates that the battery 30 has an error or is otherwise unable to charge. It can indicate that it is in an unacceptable condition and should be replaced. Data 712 is a predetermined value indicating that text, graphics, and / or exchanges are proposed. By displaying a colored light, the message indicates that the battery 30 should be replaced. It can be displayed.

[0108] Referring to Figure 12, the charging module 402 (for example, powers the communication antenna 412) (By removing the force) disable or deactivate the communication antenna 412. (1032), (for example, by supplying power to the power antenna 406) By making the container 406 usable or activating it (1034), the battery The process of supplying charging power to the Teli 30 is initiated. Then, the charger controller 408 To supply charging power to the battery 30, the power antenna 406 is connected to the battery antenna 42. Attempting to inductively couple to 2 (1036). In one embodiment, charger controller 4 08 runs the Wireless Power Consortium (Qi) wireless charging protocol. The power antenna 406 is inductively coupled to the battery antenna 422 (1036) and the battery 3 Provides charging power to 0. Alternatively, the charger controller 408 provides any other suitable power. Rotor is executed, and the battery is connected via power antenna 406 and battery antenna 422. It can provide wireless charging power to 30.

[0109] After the power antenna 406 and the battery antenna 422 are inductively coupled, the charging power is charged Power is wirelessly supplied from the power module 402 to the battery 30 via their respective antennas. (1038). In one embodiment, the charger controller 408 controls the charging process. , operating in a loop where charging power is provided for a predetermined amount of time. In one embodiment, for a predetermined amount of time The interval is 2 minutes. Alternatively, the given duration is 30 seconds or any other suitable duration. During the charging process loop, the charger controller 408 receives battery charge status data. Periodically send requests to battery 30 to receive (1040). Battery control Roller 38 receives the request and sends a response message including the pre-set charge state of the battery 30. The message is sent to the charger controller 408. The charger controller 408 then... Update the charging status indicator 710 to reflect the current charging status of the TTTELLI 30. The display area 706 can be updated by means of (1042). Charger controller When the Roller 408 determines that the battery 30 has not yet reached a full charge, it will dispense a predetermined amount The charging process loop can continue until the time elapses. The charging power 1038 is After a predetermined amount of time has been provided, the charger controller 408 will not use the power antenna 406. Enable or deactivate (1044), and initiate method 1000 (i.e., S Return to step 1002). In this way, the charger controller 408 is connected to the battery 30. Method 1000 is executed in a loop until the charging state is reached. Alternatively, charging The device controller 408 will run until the battery 30 is fully charged, starting from the beginning of method 1000. Without reverting to a temporary state, charging power can be continuously supplied to the battery 30 (103 8).

[0110] During the charging loop, the charger controller 408 will determine when the battery 30 is fully charged. If it determines that the battery 30 has finished charging, it will reflect this (for example, the charging status will change). (By making the dicator 710 illuminated in a specific color such as green or blue) The display area 706 can be updated. And the charger controller 408, The power supply to the battery 30 is stopped, and the power antenna 406 is disabled, or It can be deactivated (1044). And the battery 30 charges bay 4 16 and / or can be removed from the battery container 702 and used as required. It is possible.

[0111] During the charging process, the battery 30 is connected to the charging module 402, and the charging module display In addition to displaying the charge status and health in area 706, the charge status and / or health This can be visually represented. For example, the battery controller 38 can show the battery stator It can be coupled to one or more LEDs such as the indicator 75 (shown in Figure 1). The battery controller 38 controls the battery stator when the battery 30 is not fully charged. The indicator 75 can emit a light of the first color (blue, etc.), indicating that the battery is full. When charging, the battery status indicator 75 emits a second color of light (such as green). The battery controller 38 can detect if the battery health is an error or unacceptable. If the battery shows a healthy level or degradation, the battery status indicator 75 will show It can emit light of three colors (such as red). The housing 802 is at least partially In the transparent embodiment, the emission of light from the battery status indicator 75 is... If the Tetteri 30 is sealed in container 702 to prevent microorganisms from entering, it is visible to the user. It can be done this way.

[0112] In this specification, method 1000 involves simultaneously using the power antenna 406 or the communication antenna 412 Although it was described as operating in such a way that only the antennas are activated, each antenna receives the same power. As applied at times, both the power antenna 406 and the communication antenna 412 are activated simultaneously. It should be understood that it can be deactivated. In such embodiments, the charger The controller 408 ensures that data is transmitted through only one antenna at a time. Either antenna can be used independently of the other. Alternatively, the charger controller The Roller 408 transmits and / or receives data using both antennas simultaneously, and / or to send and / or receive power, power antenna 406 and communication antenna 41 2. Both can be operated simultaneously.

[0113] Specific features of various embodiments of this disclosure are shown in some drawings and in others. It is possible that this is not the case, but this is merely for convenience. According to the principles of this disclosure, the drawings or other Any feature of an embodiment may not be combined with any other feature of any other drawing or embodiment. You may refer to and / or request them.

[0114] This description illustrates embodiments of the present disclosure using examples, and describes any device or system Creating and using the stem and implementing any incorporated method, etc. The patentable scope of this disclosure is limited to the patentable scope of the invention. Other examples may be defined by the claims and may be conceivable to a person skilled in the art. Examples include cases where the structural elements are not different from the literal wording of the claims, or If the claims include equivalent structural elements with only slight differences from the literal wording, It is intended to fall within the scope of the permitted claim.

Claims

1. One or more autoclavable batteries, each battery having a battery controller One or more autoclavable batteries equipped with, Autoclavable container, Multiple receptacles, each receptacle receiving one of the batteries. Multiple receptacles with a shape like that, Multiple protrusions, each protrusion being aligned with a corresponding receptacle, Protruding part and An autoclavable container equipped with, It is a charging device, Multiple charging bays, each charging bay having a shape that accommodates the protruding part of the container. Yes, one of the charging bays is The battery located inside the receptacle of the container is within proximity to the charging bay. Accordingly, it is configured to establish communication with the battery controller of the battery. The first antenna and It is configured to provide charging power to the battery located within the receptacle. The second antenna and It is equipped with multiple charging bays, It is a charge controller, The first antenna is located within the proximity range of the battery to the charging bay. Accordingly, it detects whether or not 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 and A charging device equipped with A system for charging batteries in a sterilizable container, equipped with [a specific feature / tool].

2. The container, while it remains sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering, reaches a sterile volume. The system according to claim 1, configured to provide a part.

3. The charging device is used while the container remains sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering. , configured to provide charging power to the battery located within the container, claim The system described in item 1 or 2.

4. The battery is provided with a visual indicator that shows the characteristics of the battery, according to claims 1 to 3. The system described in any one of the items.

5. A portion of the container is such that the battery is placed inside the container, and the container is such that microorganisms can enter When the container remains sealed to prevent leakage, the visual indicator indicates that the part of the container is To allow visibility through, it is at least partially transparent, as described in claim 4. The system.

6. The charging device is configured such that the charging controller selectively activates the second antenna. It includes a switching element that allows it to be switched on and deactivated, The charging controller establishes communication with the battery controller when the first antenna is established. During this time, 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. It includes a switching element that allows it to be switched on and deactivated, The charging controller, while the second antenna provides charging power to the battery, Control the switching element to deactivate the first antenna. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the above.

8. The aforementioned battery controller Until communication is established between the battery and the first antenna, the battery is de-energized. Put it into a state of force, As communication is established, the battery will be moved out of the low-power state. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, configured as follows.

9. The aforementioned charging controller Upon receiving an instruction that the battery has emerged from the low-power state, The system is configured to provide charging power to the battery in response to the received instructions. The system according to claim 8.

10. The battery was previously coupled to a medical device, and the battery and The system includes a memory device that stores data from at least one of the aforementioned medical devices. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The memory device does not require communication with the battery controller. The data can be directly read by the first antenna of the recording charging device, as described in claim 10. The system.

12. The first antenna, after establishing communication with the battery controller, It is further configured to receive battery authentication data from the controller, and the charging controller The radio, before providing charging power to the battery via the second antenna, Claim 1, further configured to authenticate the battery using battery authentication data. The system described in any one of the following items (11-11):

13. A method for operating a system that charges one or more autoclavable batteries. The system comprises one or more batteries, each battery equipped with a battery controller. L, one or more batteries, and multiple receptacles shaped to accept batteries, Furthermore, it is autoclavable and has multiple protrusions that are aligned with the corresponding receptacle. A charging device comprising a charging container, a charging controller and one or more charging bays, each The charging bay is shaped to accommodate the protruding part, and each charging bay is shaped to accommodate the first antenna and the second The method comprises a charging device equipped with an antenna, The battery is placed in one of the multiple receptacles of the container. The steps, The protrusion corresponding to the receptacle is adjacent to one or more of the charging bays, The battery is positioned within proximity of the charging bay, on top of the charging device. The steps include: arranging the container, The battery, which is located within the receptacle of the container, is within the proximity of the charging bay. Depending on whether it is within the enclosure, the first antenna controls the battery control of the battery. Steps to communicate with Laura, The charging controller enables the first antenna to establish communication with the battery. Steps to detect this, The first antenna establishes communication with the battery located within the receptacle. Upon detecting this, the second antenna supplies charging power to the battery. The steps to be provided and A method for operating a charging system that includes [a specific component].

14. Before supplying charging power to the battery using the second antenna, the battery inside The method according to claim 13, further comprising the step of sterilizing the container in which the bottle is placed. Law.

15. After supplying charging power to the battery using the second antenna, the battery Claim 13 or 14 further includes the step of sterilizing the container in which the terry is placed. Method of description.

16. The battery is equipped with a visual indicator that shows the characteristics of the battery, and the method is internal The steps include sterilizing the container in which the battery is located and the visual indicator Claims 13 to 15 further include the step of indicating the status of the battery using The method described in any one of the items.

17. A portion of the container is at least partially transparent, and the method is such that the battery is in the container When placed inside and the container remains sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering, The step further includes displaying the status of the battery through the portion of the storage container. The method according to claim 16.

18. The charging device selectively activates and deactivates the second antenna. The method comprises a switching element that switches, and the first antenna is connected to the battery. While establishing communication with the controller, the switching element controls the second antenna 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. The method comprises a switching element that provides a switch, and the second antenna is connected to the battery. While supplying charging power, the switching element deactivates the first antenna. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 18, further comprising the step of debating.

20. After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, the first antenna The Tenor receives battery authentication data from the battery controller, and Before supplying charging power to the battery via the second antenna, the charging controller The steps include:

1. Authenticating the battery using the battery authentication data via a roller; The method according to any one of claims 13 to 19, further comprising:

21. Until communication is established between the battery and the first antenna, the battery is kept low. Steps to put it into a power state, As communication is established, the battery is made to exit the low-power state. Step and The method according to any one of claims 13 to 20, including the method described in any one of claims 13 to 20.

22. The steps include receiving an instruction that the battery has emerged from the low-power state, In response to the received instructions, the second antenna provides charging power to the battery. The steps to take The method according to claim 21, further comprising:

23. The battery was previously coupled to a medical device, and the battery is a memory device. The method comprises the battery and the medical device, and the data of at least one of the battery and the medical device Any one of claims 13 to 22 further includes the step of storing the data in the memory device. The method described in section [section number].

24. While the battery is not receiving power, the first antenna... The method according to 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 autoclaveable battery equipped with, A sterilization barrier for the aforementioned battery, It is a charging device, It is a charging bay, The passive communication device of the battery is energized, and the energized passive communication device A first A configured to establish communication with the battery controller via the vice Ntena and, A second antenna configured to provide charging power to the aforementioned battery, It is equipped with a charging bay, It is a charge controller, The passive communication device of the battery is energized, and the second antenna deactivates While activated, the battery is connected via the energized passive communication device. The first antenna is controlled to establish communication with the controller. After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, the second Activate the antenna, The second antenna provides charging power to the battery. A charge controller and A charging device equipped with A system for charging autoclavable batteries, equipped with [specific features / features].

26. The battery is provided with a visual indicator that shows the characteristics of the battery, as described in claim 25. The system.

27. A portion of the sterilization barrier is such that the battery is placed inside the sterilization barrier, and the sterilization barrier When the rear remains sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering, the visual indicator, To allow visibility through the portion of the sterilization barrier, at least partially The system according to claim 26, which is transparent.

28. A method for operating a battery charging system, wherein the system is an autoclav A battery capable of charging, comprising a battery controller and coupled to the battery controller. An autoclavable battery equipped with a communication device, and a sterilization burr for the battery. A charging device comprising a charging controller and a charging bay, wherein the charging bay is a first The method comprises a charging device having an antenna and a second antenna, The steps include placing the battery inside the sterilization barrier, The steps include placing the sterilization barrier on the charging device, The first antenna is used to energize the communication device of the battery, The first antenna transmits the battery controller via the excited communication device. Steps to establish communication with Laura, After the first antenna establishes communication with the battery controller, the charging controller The steps include activating the second antenna using a trowel, The second antenna provides charging power to the battery, and A method for operating a battery charging system that includes [a specific component].

29. One or more autoclavable batteries, each battery having a battery controller One or more autoclavable batteries equipped with, One or more sterilization barriers for holding one or more batteries, the one or more batteries One of the batteries enters one of the sterile barriers of the one or more sterile barriers. One or more sterile barriers can be used, It is a charging device, One or more charging bays, each charging bay is The battery placed within the sterilization barrier is within proximity to the charging bay. A first battery configured to establish communication with the battery controller of the battery accordingly The antenna and It is configured to provide charging power to the battery placed inside the sterilization barrier. The second antenna and It has one or more charging bays, It is a charge controller, The first antenna is located within the proximity range of the battery to the charging bay. Accordingly, it detects whether or not 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 and A charging device equipped with A system for charging autoclavable batteries, equipped with [specific features / features].

30. The battery is provided with a visual indicator that shows the characteristics of the battery, as described in claim 29. The system.

31. A portion of the sterilization barrier is such that the battery is placed inside the sterilization barrier, and the sterilization barrier When the rear remains sealed to prevent microorganisms from entering, the visual indicator, To allow visibility through the portion of the sterilization barrier, at least partially The system according to claim 30, which is transparent.

32. A passive communication device and a battery controller coupled to the passive communication device. A battery comprising the above, wherein the battery controller puts the battery into a low-power state. The battery is configured in such a way, A receptacle having a shape that accepts the aforementioned battery, and a position that fits into the receptacle An autoclavable container having a protruding part that is joined together, It is a charging device, A charging bay having a shape that can accommodate the aforementioned protrusion, It is a single antenna, The passive communication device of the battery is energized, and the energized passive communication device Communication with the battery controller is established via the chair, The aforementioned battery is supplied with charging power. One antenna and It is equipped with a charging bay, It is a charge controller, The passive communication device of the battery is energized, and the battery controller, As communication is established, the excitation of the battery is performed so that it exits the low-power state. To establish communication with the battery controller via a passive communication device. To control the antenna, The battery controller causes the battery to exit the low-power state. Accordingly, authentication data is received to authenticate the battery via the established communication. Believe, In accordance with the authentication of the battery, the battery is charged via the antenna. To provide support A charge controller and A charging device equipped with A system for charging autoclavable batteries, equipped with [specific features / features].

33. The battery is provided with a visual indicator that shows the characteristics of the battery, as described in claim 32. The system.

34. A portion of the container is such that the battery is placed inside the container, and the container is such that microorganisms can enter When the container remains sealed to prevent leakage, the visual indicator indicates that the part of the container Claim 33, at least partially transparent so as to allow visibility through The system described above.

35. A first autoclavable container and a second autoclavable container, wherein the first Each of the container and the second container is, It consists of multiple receptacles, each receptacle shaped to accept a battery. multiple receptacles, Multiple protrusions, each protrusion being aligned with a corresponding receptacle, Protruding part and Equipped with, The number of receptacles and corresponding protrusions in the first container is the same as the number of protrusions in the second container The first and second containers have more receptacles and corresponding protrusions than the number of receptacles and corresponding protrusions in the first container. and, It is a charging device, Multiple charging bays, each charging bay having a protrusion from the first container or the second container The shape is such that it can accommodate the part, and the multiple charging bays are arranged in multiple rows and multiple columns. The number of columns corresponds to the number of receptacles in the first container, and the number of rows Corresponding to the number of receptacles in the second container, Each of the charging bays provides charging power to the battery located within the receptacle. Multiple charging bays equipped with antennas configured to support, The antenna supplies charging power to the battery located within the receptacle. A charge controller configured to provide and A charging device equipped with A system for charging autoclavable batteries, equipped with [specific features / features].

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