Ultrasonic gel processing station, system, and method
The ultrasonic gel processing station uses UV light and heating elements, controlled by a microcontroller, to sterilize gel bottles effectively, addressing bacterial growth and waste issues in existing ultrasonic gel warmers.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- BARD ACCESS SYSTEMS INC
- Filing Date
- 2024-04-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-20
AI Technical Summary
Existing ultrasonic gel warmers promote bacterial growth, posing an infection risk in sterile procedures and are less economical and generate more waste than bottles of ultrasonic gel.
An ultrasonic gel processing station with UV light sources and heating elements to sterilize bottles of ultrasonic gel, controlled by a microcontroller with sensors and actuators, ensuring safe and efficient disinfection without stopping heating.
Provides a safe, economical, and waste-reducing solution for sterilizing ultrasonic gel bottles, suitable for sterile procedures by ensuring bacterial reduction and maintaining bottle integrity.
Smart Images
Figure 2026512746000001 
Figure 2026512746000002 
Figure 2026512746000003
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic gel processing station, system, and method.
Background Art
[0002] Although ultrasonic gel warmers exist, existing ultrasonic gel warmers promote the growth of bacteria and can therefore be a source of infection. Thus, in sterilization procedures such as those for placing percutaneous catheters, it is not recommended to use existing ultrasonic gel warmers. The use of packets of sterilized ultrasonic gel (which can be warmed within an ultrasonic gel warmer configured for that purpose) is an alternative to providing warm sterilized ultrasonic gel for the aforementioned aseptic procedures, but packets of sterilized ultrasonic gel are not as economical as bottles of ultrasonic gel. In addition, packets of sterilized ultrasonic gel produce more waste than bottles of ultrasonic gel.
[0003] This specification discloses an ultrasonic gel processing station, system, and method for addressing the aforementioned problems.
Summary of the Invention
Means for Solving the Problems
[0004] Disclosed herein, in some embodiments, is an ultrasonic gel processing station comprising a housing, a cavity within the housing, one or more heating elements disposed within or around the cavity within the housing, and one or more ultraviolet ("UV") light sources disposed within or around the cavity. The cavity within the housing is configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel. One or more heating elements are configured to heat one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed within the cavity. One or more UV light sources are configured to irradiate one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel with germicidal radiation when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed within the cavity.
[0005] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a cover for covering the cavity when at least one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed inside the cavity and when it is being heated, irradiated, or both heated and irradiated.
[0006] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel when the cavity is not covered.
[0007] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a microcontroller configured to operate the ultrasonic gel processing station. The microcontroller is housed within a housing and includes a sensor module comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the state within the cavity in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more heating elements or one or more UV light sources.
[0008] In some embodiments, the microcontroller is further coupled to one or more visual indicators located within the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are being heated, irradiated, both heated and irradiated, or have been heated or irradiated.
[0009] In some embodiments, the microcontroller is further coupled to a timer located in the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are undergoing heating, disinfection, or both.
[0010] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes actuators located within the housing to lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station.
[0011] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station is integrated into a roll stand or cart. Similarly disclosed herein, in some embodiments, is an ultrasonic gel processing station comprising a housing, a cavity within the housing, and one or more UV light sources disposed within or around the cavity within the housing. The cavity within the housing is configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel. The one or more UV light sources are configured to irradiate one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel with germicidal radiation when the bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed within the cavity.
[0012] In some embodiments, the heat dissipated by one or more UV light sources warms one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when they are placed inside the cavity.
[0013] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a cover for covering the cavity when at least one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed inside the cavity and being irradiated.
[0014] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel if the cavity is not covered. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a microcontroller configured to operate the ultrasonic gel processing station. The microcontroller is housed within a housing and includes a sensor module comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the state within the cavity in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources.
[0015] In some embodiments, the microcontroller is further coupled to one or more visual indicators positioned within the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are being irradiated.
[0016] In some embodiments, the microcontroller is further coupled to a timer located within the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel have been disinfected.
[0017] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes actuators positioned within the housing to lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station.
[0018] Similarly disclosed herein, in some embodiments, is an ultrasonic gel processing system comprising one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel and an ultrasonic gel processing station. Each of the one or more bottles is formed of a flexible polymer material having sufficient transparency to transmit UV light. The ultrasonic gel processing station comprises a housing, a cavity within the housing, and one or more UV light sources disposed within or around the cavity within the housing. The cavity within the housing is configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel. The one or more UV light sources are configured to irradiate one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel with germicidal radiation when the bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed within the cavity.
[0019] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes one or more heating elements located in or around the cavity to heat one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed in the cavity.
[0020] In some embodiments, the heat dissipated by one or more UV light sources warms one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when they are placed inside the cavity.
[0021] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a cover for covering the cavity when at least one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed inside the cavity and being irradiated.
[0022] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel if the cavity is not covered. In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes a microcontroller configured to operate the ultrasonic gel processing station. The microcontroller is disposed within the housing and includes a sensor module including one or more sensors configured to sense the state within the cavity to activate, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources.
[0023] In some embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station further includes an actuator disposed within the housing to at least partially lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel from the ultrasonic gel processing station.
[0024] In some embodiments, the germicidal radiation is selected from broad-spectrum UV visible light, broad-spectrum UV light, UVA light, UVB light, UVC light, blue light, and modulated light thereof, where the modulated light is modulated with respect to frequency, output, duration, or a combination thereof.
[0025] In some embodiments, the polymeric material forming one or more bottles is selected from polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyimide, polyetherimide, and cyclic olefin polymer, and the polymeric material optionally includes one or more comonomer residues, one or more plasticizers, or a combination thereof.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0026] [Figure 1] An ultrasonic gel processing system according to some embodiments, including an ultrasonic gel processing station and one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel, is shown. [Figure 2] An ultrasonic gel processing system according to some embodiments is further shown. [Figure 3] An ultrasonic gel processing system according to some embodiments is further shown. [Figure 4]This shows the irradiation of a bottle of ultrasonic gel placed in the cavity of an ultrasonic gel processing station, according to several embodiments. [Figure 5] Block diagrams of ultrasonic gel processing stations according to several embodiments are provided. [Modes for carrying out the invention]
[0027] Before disclosing some specific embodiments in more detail, it should be understood that the specific embodiments disclosed herein do not limit the scope of the concepts provided herein. It should also be understood that the specific embodiments disclosed herein may be easily separable from that specific embodiment and may have features that can be arbitrarily combined with or substituted for features of any of the many other embodiments disclosed herein.
[0028] With regard to the terms used herein, it should be understood that these terms are for the purpose of describing certain specific embodiments and do not limit the scope of the concepts provided herein. Ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third, etc.) are generally used to distinguish or identify different features or steps within a group of features or steps and do not provide a sequential or numerical limitation. For example, the features or steps “first,” “second,” and “third” do not necessarily have to appear in that order, and a particular embodiment containing such features or steps does not necessarily have to be limited to three features or steps. Notations such as “left,” “right,” “up,” “down,” “front,” and “back” are used for convenience and do not mean, for example, a specific fixed position, orientation, or direction. Instead, such notations are used to reflect, for example, a relative position, orientation, or direction. The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural subjects unless explicitly indicated in the context.
[0029] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as those commonly understood by those skilled in the art. As mentioned above, while ultrasonic gel warmers exist, existing ultrasonic gel warmers promote bacterial growth and can therefore become a source of infection. For this reason, the use of existing ultrasonic gel warmers in sterile procedures, such as for percutaneous catheter placement, is not recommended. The use of sterile ultrasonic gel packets (which can be heated in a specially configured ultrasonic gel warmer) is a workaround for providing warm sterile ultrasonic gel for the aforementioned sterile procedures, but sterile ultrasonic gel packets are less economical than ultrasonic gel bottles. Furthermore, sterile ultrasonic gel packets generate more waste than ultrasonic gel bottles.
[0030] This specification discloses an ultrasonic gel processing station, system, and method for addressing the aforementioned problems. Ultrasonic gel treatment system Figures 1-3 show an ultrasonic gel processing system 100, comprising an ultrasonic gel processing station 102 and one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104, according to several embodiments.
[0031] As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the ultrasonic gel processing system 100 may include an ultrasonic gel processing station 102, one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104, or both the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 and one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104. However, it should be understood that the ultrasonic gel processing system 100 is not limited thereto.
[0032] The ultrasonic gel processing station 102 includes a housing 106, a cavity 108 within the housing 106, and one or more UV light sources 110 positioned within the cavity 108 or the housing 106. In particular, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may be an independent unit in which the housing 106 can be considered its body. In other embodiments, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 is instead incorporated into a roll stand or cart.
[0033] The housing 106 may include an outer housing 112 and an inner housing 114. At least a portion of the outer housing 112 faces outward from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102, and at least a portion of the inner housing 114 faces inward from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102. The outer housing 112 and the inner housing 114 may be separate parts with the same extent as their respective names, although each housing portion of the outer housing 112 and the inner housing 114 may be formed independently from one or more parts. Alternatively, the outer housing 112 and the inner housing 114 may be a single unit, and access to the internal space between the walls of the outer housing 112 and the walls of the inner housing 114 may be provided, for example, through the bottom of the housing 106.
[0034] As shown in Figure 1, the external housing 112 may include a button interface 116, one or more visual indicators 118, a timer 120, or a combination thereof. The button interface 116 can be located within the external housing 112 and may include one or more buttons 122. One or more visual indicators 118 may be integrated with one or more buttons 122 as shown, or one or more visual indicators 118 may be located within the external housing 112 separately from one or more buttons 122. The timer 120 may be located within the external housing 112 in close proximity to the button interface 116, such as above or below the button interface 116, but is not limited to this.
[0035] Within the housing 106, specifically within the internal housing 114, the cavity 108 can be configured to hold one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104. In fact, as shown in Figure 4, the cavity 108 may include multiple sleeves or silos formed from the internal housing 114 into which multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104 can be inserted. Such sleeves or silos may be advantageous in that any of the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104 used in the procedure can be returned to the sleeve or silo after the procedure without contaminating adjacent bottles among the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104.
[0036] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include a cover 124 to cover the cavity 108 when at least one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are placed in the cavity 108 and being processed. Such a cover 124 may be a hinged lid, a retractable cover (e.g., a roll-up door), a mechanical diaphragm (e.g., a mechanical throttling), or similar, as shown, and is intended to cover the cavity 108 when at least one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are placed in the cavity 108 and are being irradiated, heated, or both irradiated and heated. In particular, for user protection, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 is configured to stop the irradiation of one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 or the cavity 108 itself when the cavity 108 is not covered by lifting a hinged lid, retracting a retractable cover, opening a mechanical diaphragm, etc. However, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 does not need to stop heating one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 or the cavity 108 itself if the cavity 108 is not covered. In other words, heating does not need to be stopped unless the heating relies on the heat dissipated by one or more UV light sources 110.
[0037] Figure 4 shows the irradiation of a bottle of ultrasonic gel placed in the cavity 108 of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 according to several embodiments. As shown in the figure, one or more UV light sources 110 can be optionally arranged in combination within the cavity 108, within the housing 106, behind the housing 106, etc., to irradiate one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 with germicidal radiation when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are placed inside the cavity 108. When one or more UV light sources 110 are placed inside the cavity 108, one or more UV light sources 110 can be completely placed inside the cavity 108, and the corresponding electrical leads reach the microcontroller 128 through through holes in the internal housing 114 and through the internal space between the external and internal housing 114 walls. If one or more UV light sources 110 are located within the housing 106, one or more UV light sources 110 can be partially located in the cavity 108 (for example, protruding into the cavity 108), the remainder of one or more UV light sources 110 can be located in through holes in the internal housing 114, and the corresponding electrical leads can be routed through the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114 to the microcontroller 128. Finally, if one or more UV light sources 110 are located at the rear of the housing 106, one or more UV light sources 110 can be mounted in the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114, so that one or more UV light sources 110 radiate germicidal radiation toward the cavity 108, and at least the internal housing 114 surrounding the cavity 108 is made of a polymer material that is transparent enough to transmit UV light, and optionally a rigid compound of the flexible polymer material described later. As in other embodiments, the corresponding electrical leads of one or more UV light sources 110 pass through the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114 to the microcontroller 128.
[0038] One or more UV light sources 110 can be independently selected from low-pressure mercury lamps, excimer lamps, pulsed xenon lamps, and semiconductor light sources, and the semiconductor light sources can be selected from light-emitting diodes ("LEDs"), lasers, and superradiant light-emitting diodes ("SLDs"), with SLDs having in particular the high-power and high-brightness characteristics of lasers and the low-power characteristics of LEDs. As an example, Figure 4 shows multiple LEDs arranged in an internal housing 114 and emitting germicidal radiation into a cavity 108. Such germicidal radiation emitted by one or more UV light sources 110 can be selected from broad-spectrum UV-visible light, broad-spectrum UV light, UVA light, UVB light, UVC light, blue light, and modulated light thereof, where the modulated light is modulated with respect to wavelength or frequency, power (including stepwise changes in power), duration (including pulse duration when the modulated light is pulsed), or a combination thereof.
[0039] In particular, when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are placed in the cavity 108, the heat radiated from one or more UV light sources 110 can heat one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may further include one or more heating elements 126 for heating one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are placed in the cavity 108.
[0040] One or more heating elements 126 can be optionally arranged in combination within the cavity 108, within the housing 106, behind the housing 106, etc., to heat one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 when they are placed in the cavity 108. When one or more heating elements 126 are placed within the cavity 108, they can be completely positioned within the cavity 108, and the corresponding electrical leads reach the microcontroller 128 through through holes in the internal housing 114, as well as through the internal space between the wall of the external housing 112 and the wall of the internal housing 114. When one or more heating elements 126 are located within the housing 106, one or more heating elements 126 can be partially located in the cavity 108 (for example, protruding into the cavity 108), where the remainder of one or more heating elements 126 are located in through holes in the internal housing 114, and the corresponding electrical leads pass through the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114 to the microcontroller 128. Finally, when one or more heating elements 126 are located at the rear of the housing 106, one or more heating elements 126 can be mounted in the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114, thereby allowing one or more heating elements 126 to radiate infrared radiation toward the cavity 108. As in other embodiments, the corresponding electrical leads of one or more heating elements 126 pass through the internal space between the walls of the external housing 112 and the internal housing 114 to the microcontroller 128.
[0041] In particular, when both one or more UV light sources 110 and one or more heating elements 126 are present, any of the above-described configurations can be independently adopted, with respect to the fact that one or more UV light sources 110 and one or more heating elements 126 can be arranged in the cavity 108, in the housing 106, behind the housing 106, etc.
[0042] Figure 5 provides a block diagram of an ultrasonic gel processing station 102 including a microcontroller 128 according to several embodiments. As shown in the figure, the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may further include a microcontroller 128 configured to operate the ultrasonic gel processing station 102. The microcontroller 128 may be located within the housing 106, such as in the internal space between the wall of the outer housing 112 and the wall of the inner housing 114.
[0043] The microcontroller 128 may include at least a selected component from a processor 130, a secondary memory 132, a sensor module 134, a sensor interface 136, and a power supply 138 (e.g., an internal power supply (e.g., a battery) or an external power supply (e.g., a commercial power supply)). The processor 130 may include a control unit 140, an arithmetic unit 142, and a primary memory 144 (e.g., a cache memory, RAM, or both), where the primary memory 144 may be configured to store programs and data in use (e.g., sensor data). As suggested in Figure 5, the primary memory 144 may be located in the same package as the rest of the processor 130, but at least the aforementioned RAM may be distributed outside the package of the processor 130, for example, in its own package.
[0044] The secondary memory 132 can be configured to store data and programs, including instructions, logic, algorithms including machine learning algorithms, artificial intelligence ("AI") models, or combinations thereof, for the processor 130 to load into the primary memory 144 for use when determining, for example from sensor data, whether one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 need disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating; whether one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are being irradiated, heated, or both irradiated and heated; how much longer one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 should be irradiated, heated, or both irradiated and heated; whether one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 have been disinfected, heated, or both disinfected and heated; or a combination thereof. If the microcontroller 128 includes a sensor module 134 and a sensor interface 136 to sense the state in the cavity 108 in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources 110, one or more heating elements 126, or both of the UV light sources 110 and one or more heating elements 126, then the processor 130 may further include an analog-to-digital converter 146 (“ADC”) configured to convert electrical signals from one or more sensors from analog to digital, and a digital-to-signal processor 148 (“DSP”) configured to generate sensor data from the electrical signals. The ADC 146 and DSP 148 can be located in the same package as the rest of the processor 130 as suggested in Figure 5, but the ADC 146 and DSP 148 may be distributed outside the package of the processor 130, for example, in their own package.
[0045] If a sensor module 134 is present, it may include one or more sensors selected from at least a photodetector 150, a temperature sensor 152, and a cover sensor 154, each of which is configured to generate an electrical signal in response to a detected photon, a sensed temperature, and a sensed cover state, where the sensed cover state may be, for example, cover open, cover partially open, or cover closed. Furthermore, if a sensor interface 136 is present, it may include a signal modifier 156 configured to standardize the electrical signals by voltage or current limiting, anti-aliasing filtering, etc. In addition, the sensor interface 136 may include an amplifier 158 configured to amplify the electrical signals, thereby improving their signal-to-noise ratio. Here too, the ADC146 can be configured to convert electrical signals from analog to digital, and the DSP148 can be configured to generate sensor data from the electrical signals, thereby determining whether to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources 110, one or more heating elements 126, or one or more UV light sources 110 and one or more heating elements 126, according to the sensor data.
[0046] The microcontroller 128 can be coupled to one or more visual indicators 118 located within the housing 106, which indicate that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles require disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating; that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are being irradiated, heated, or both irradiated and heated; or that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 have been disinfected, heated, or both disinfected and heated. In fact, one or more visual indicators 118 can be integrated with one or more buttons 122 as LEDs positioned behind one or more buttons 122, and these LEDs have different colors of light (e.g., red, yellow, and green) to indicate that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles need disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating (e.g., red light), one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are receiving irradiation, heating, or both irradiation and heating (e.g., yellow light), or one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 have finished disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating (e.g., green light). Additionally or alternatively, the microcontroller 128 can be coupled to a timer 120 located in an external housing 112, which indicates, for example, by countdown, when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are receiving disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating.
[0047] The ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may further include an actuator 160 located within the housing 106, which is capable of at least partially lifting one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102, thereby allowing any of the bottles from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 to be grasped without touching the potentially contaminated external surfaces of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102. The actuator 160 can be coupled to one or more movable bottoms of the multiple sleeves or silos of the internal housing 114 in order to at least partially lift one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102.
[0048] For one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104, each bottle of the ultrasonic gel bottles 104 may be formed from a flexible polymer material that is transparent enough to transmit UV light. Such polymer materials can be selected from polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyimide, polyetherimide, and cyclic olefin polymers, and the polymer material optionally contains one or more comonomer residues, thereby making the aforementioned polymer material a copolymer, one or more plasticizers, or a combination thereof. method The methods include the ultrasonic gel processing system 100 or the station 102 itself, as well as the method of using the ultrasonic gel processing system 100.
[0049] The method of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include, at a minimum, a sensing operation to sense the state inside the cavity 108, and a determination operation to determine whether to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources 110, one or more heating elements 126, or one or more UV light sources 110 and one or more heating elements 126. Furthermore, the method of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include an indication operation using one or more visual indicators 118 to indicate that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 require disinfection, heating, or both disinfection and heating, that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 are being irradiated, heated, or both irradiated and heated, or that one or more ultrasonic gel bottles 104 have been disinfected, heated, or both disinfected and heated. Such and other operations of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 can be further understood from the above disclosure.
[0050] The method of using the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include, at a minimum, a witnessing operation in which the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 witnesses, using one or more visual indicators 118, that the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104 have been disinfected, heated, or both disinfected and heated. Furthermore, the method of using the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include a cover removal operation in which the cover of the cavity 108 is removed, a waiting operation in which the actuator 160 is allowed to lift the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104 at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station 102, and a gripping operation in which one of the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104 is grasped without touching any potentially contaminated external surfaces of the ultrasonic gel processing station 102. Furthermore, the method of using the ultrasonic gel processing station 102 may include returning the bottle to its sleeve or silo without contaminating any other bottles among the multiple ultrasonic gel bottles 104.
[0051] While several specific embodiments are disclosed herein, and some embodiments are disclosed in some degree of detail, no particular embodiment is intended to limit the scope of the concepts provided herein. Additional adaptations and / or modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art, and in broader embodiments, these adaptations and / or modifications are also encompassed. Thus, it is possible to deviate from specific embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the scope of the concepts provided herein.
Claims
1. An ultrasonic gel processing station, Housing and A cavity provided within the housing and configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel, One or more heating elements are located within the cavity or the housing surrounding the cavity and heat one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles are located within the cavity. One or more ultraviolet ("UV") light sources are positioned within the cavity or the housing surrounding the cavity and irradiate one or more ultrasonic gel bottles with germicidal radiation when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles are positioned within the cavity. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
2. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 1 further, At least one or more bottles of ultrasound gel are placed inside the cavity and cover the cavity when it is being heated, irradiated, or both heated and irradiated. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
3. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 2, An ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel if the cavity is not covered.
4. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 1 to 3 further comprises a microcontroller configured to operate the ultrasonic gel processing station, An ultrasonic gel processing station is housed within a housing and includes a sensor module comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the state within a cavity in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more heating elements or one or more UV light sources.
5. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 4, The ultrasonic gel processing station is further coupled with one or more visual indicators located within the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are being heated, irradiated, both heated and irradiated, or have subsequently been heated or irradiated.
6. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 4, The ultrasonic gel processing station is further coupled with a timer located within the housing, which is a microcontroller that indicates when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are undergoing heating, disinfection, or both.
7. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprises: An actuator is placed inside the housing to lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
8. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 1 to 7, An ultrasonic gel processing station is an ultrasonic gel processing station that is integrated into a roll stand or cart.
9. An ultrasonic gel processing station, Housing and A cavity provided within the housing and configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel, One or more UV light sources are placed within the cavity or housing surrounding the cavity and irradiate one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel with germicidal radiation when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed inside the cavity. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
10. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 9, An ultrasonic gel processing station in which heat dissipated by one or more UV light sources heats one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles are placed in a cavity.
11. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 9 or 10 further, A cover that covers the cavity when at least one or more bottles of ultrasound gel are placed inside the cavity and irradiating it. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
12. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 11, An ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel when the cavity is not covered.
13. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 9 to 12 further, It includes a microcontroller configured to operate an ultrasonic gel processing station, An ultrasonic gel processing station is housed within a housing and includes a sensor module comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the state within the cavity in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources.
14. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 13, The ultrasonic gel processing station is further coupled with one or more visual indicators located within the housing to indicate when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are being irradiated.
15. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 13, The ultrasonic gel processing station is further coupled with a timer located within the housing, which is a microcontroller that indicates when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel have been disinfected.
16. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 9 to 15 further, An actuator located within the housing is used to lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
17. An ultrasonic gel processing station, One or more bottles of ultrasonic gel, each of the one or more bottles being formed of a flexible polymer material that is transparent enough to transmit UV light, Ultrasonic gel processing station and Equipped with, The aforementioned ultrasonic gel processing station is Housing and A cavity provided within the housing and configured to hold one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel, One or more UV light sources are placed within the cavity or housing surrounding the cavity and irradiate one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel with germicidal radiation when one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel are placed inside the cavity. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
18. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 17, The ultrasonic gel processing station further, One or more heating elements, positioned within the cavity or housing surrounding the cavity, for heating one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles are placed inside the cavity. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
19. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to claim 17 or 18, An ultrasonic gel processing station in which heat dissipated by one or more UV light sources heats one or more ultrasonic gel bottles when one or more ultrasonic gel bottles are placed in a cavity.
20. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 19, The ultrasonic gel processing station further, A cover that covers the cavity when at least one or more bottles of ultrasound gel are placed inside the cavity and irradiating it. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
21. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 20, An ultrasonic gel processing station is configured to stop irradiating one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel when the cavity is not covered.
22. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 21 further, It includes a microcontroller configured to operate an ultrasonic gel processing station, An ultrasonic gel processing station is housed within a housing and includes a sensor module comprising one or more sensors configured to sense the state within the cavity in order to start, stop, or adjust one or more UV light sources.
23. The ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 22 further, An actuator is placed inside the housing to lift one or more bottles of ultrasonic gel at least partially from the ultrasonic gel processing station. An ultrasonic gel processing station equipped with [the necessary components].
24. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 23, Germicidal radiation is selected from broad-spectrum UV-visible light, broad-spectrum UV light, UVA light, UVB light, UVC light, blue light, and modulated light thereof. An ultrasonic gel processing station where modulated light is modulated with respect to frequency, power, duration, or a combination thereof.
25. In the ultrasonic gel processing station according to any one of claims 17 to 24, The polymer material forming one or more bottles is selected from polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, poly(methyl methacrylate), polyimide, polyetherimide, and cyclic olefin polymers. An ultrasonic gel processing station comprising a polymer material optionally containing one or more comonomer residues, one or more plasticizers, or a combination thereof.