Electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room

Abstract

To provide an electronic identification band for intra-operating room related-instruments.SOLUTION: An electronic identification band for intra-operating room related-instruments is mounted on related instruments in an operating room, and includes a belt-like flexible substrate, an RFID unit, a protective cover, and an adhesive layer. At the time of use, a length of the electronic identification band for intra-operating room related-instruments is appropriately cut according to the objects to be used, and release paper is peeled off, so that the electronic identification band for intra-operating room related-instruments can be tightly wound and attached as radio identification to intra-operating room related-instruments of various types and standards. The protective cover is shaped on a strip-like mounting portion of the belt-like flexible substrate, and isolates the RFID unit from the outside to provide a protective effect. By virtue of the structural features described above, an economic effect associated with production of electronic identification bands can be improved.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electronic identification band for operating room equipment. More specifically, it relates to an electronic identification band for related operating room equipment that can be applied to various types and specifications of related operating room equipment, has a simple structure, is easy to manufacture, and is difficult to come off after being worn.

Background Art

[0002] Today's medical institutions continuously strive to improve the quality of medical care to prevent medical accidents, but it is impossible to completely avoid unexpected medical accidents. The theme related to patient safety is one of the most important issues emphasized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and countries such as those in Europe, America, and Japan, and it is also an important topic in the medical delivery systems around the world.

[0003] The operating room is a high-risk, high-cost, complex, specialized, and high-tech department. When performing surgery, the operating surgeon, anesthesiologist, anesthesia nurse, nurses who respond fluidly, and other operating room staff form a team to perform the surgery. According to medical accident statistics, it has been found that medical accidents account for 16.9% of the cases where the surgical results were not good. In order to reduce medical accidents and ensure the safety of patients before and after surgery, it is very important for the sterilization supply department to confirm the placement and packaging of instruments before surgery, supervise the usage status of equipment during the surgical process, and perform tasks such as the collection, classification, checklist creation, and sterilization of equipment after surgery. In order to improve the above-mentioned work flow and safety, the hospital side conducts identification before use and tracking after use of surgical equipment to thoroughly implement sterilization and prevent medical accidents such as nosocomial infections or the remaining of surgical instruments in the human body.

[0004] On the other hand, commercially available RFID electronic labels for identification are used by adhering them to equipment with an adhesive, but problems occur such as peeling off during the cleaning and sterilization process and metal interfering with communication when pasted on metal equipment.

[0005] The electronic identification band for operating room-related equipment disclosed in Patent Document 1 can improve the above-mentioned problems. However, the applicable objects are limited because the diameter (size) of the stretchable band of the base that is wound around the equipment and fixed with a buckle cannot be adjusted. In addition, when manufacturing the base, the male buckle and the female buckle must be embedded in the molding die in advance, which not only takes time but also affects the manufacturing cost and efficiency of the identification device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] The main object of the present invention is to provide an electronic identification band for operating room-related equipment that firmly fixes the RFID unit to the instrument and can prevent the loss of the RFID unit during the cleaning and sterilization processes.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned problems, the electronic identification band for operating room-related equipment includes a strip-shaped soft substrate, an RFID unit, a protective cover, and an adhesive layer. The strip-shaped soft substrate is composed of a flexible and insulating soft plastic sheet and has a sheet-shaped mounting portion. The RFID unit is mounted on the strip-shaped soft substrate. The protective cover is formed to cover the surface of the sheet-shaped mounting portion of the strip-shaped soft substrate and around the RFID unit, and then isolates the RFID unit from the outside. The adhesive layer is applied to the bottom surface of the strip-shaped soft substrate.

[0009] When using an electronic identification band for related equipment in the operating room, according to the usage target, the length of the strip-shaped flexible substrate is appropriately cut. After peeling off the release paper, the strip-shaped flexible substrate can be firmly wound and fixed as wireless identification on various types and specifications of related equipment in the operating room. That is, it is possible to prevent the loss of the RFID unit during the cleaning and sterilization process. In addition, the protective cover is formed on the sheet mounting portion of the strip-shaped flexible substrate and isolates the RFID unit with a simple structure from the outside to produce a protective effect, so the economic effect caused by the production of the electronic identification band can be significantly improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0010]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 6

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] Hereinafter, an electronic identification band for related equipment in the operating room according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0012] (One Embodiment) As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, an electronic identification band 10 for related equipment in the operating room according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a strip-shaped flexible substrate 20, an RFID unit 30, a protective cover 40, an adhesive layer 50, and a release paper 60.

[0013] The belt-shaped flexible substrate 20 is composed of a flexible and insulating plastic sheet, and has a sheet mounting portion 21 and a fixing tray 22. The fixing tray 22 is formed on the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21 by etching a metal foil such as a copper foil.

[0014] The RFID unit 30 is attached to the fixing tray 22 of the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20.

[0015] The protective cover 40 is formed to cover around the RFID unit 30 on the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21 of the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20, and then isolates the RFID unit 30 from the outside.

[0016] The adhesive layer 50 is applied to the bottom surface of the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20.

[0017] The release paper 60 is attached to the surface of the adhesive layer 50 so as not to attach foreign matters from the outside to the adhesive layer 50.

[0018] As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, when using the electronic identification band 10 for the equipment 70 related to the operating room, if the length of the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20 including the release paper 60 is appropriately cut according to the object to be used and the release paper 60 is peeled off, the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20 can be firmly wound and attached as wireless identification to various types and specifications of the equipment 70 related to the operating room and fixed. That is, the loss of the RFID unit can be prevented during the cleaning and sterilization processes. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, since the protective cover 40 is formed to cover the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21 of the belt-shaped flexible substrate 20, the RFID unit 30 with a simple structure is not in contact with the outside and is protected. Due to the above-described structural features, the economic effect generated during the production of the electronic identification band 10 for the equipment related to the operating room can be significantly improved.

[0019] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, since the strip-shaped flexible substrate 20 is a flexible plastic sheet made of heat-resistant polyimide (PI), as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, if the electronic identification band 10 is used for the equipment 70 related to the operating room, the electronic identification band 10 and the equipment 70 related to the operating room can be sterilized at high temperature together.

[0020] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, the fixing tray 22 of the sheet mounting portion 21 of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 20 has a mark 220 such as double brackets around it. By indicating the position of the fixing tray 22 with the mark 220, it is possible to apply an adhesive or solder paste to the fixing tray 22 by a mounting technique such as SMT technology, and to facilitate the mounting of the RFID unit.

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, in this embodiment, the sheet mounting portion 21 has an adhesive layer 210 applied around the RFID unit on the surface. The adhesive layer 210 is composed of an adhesive and a crosslinking agent. The crosslinking agent has functional groups similar to those of the materials of the adhesive and the protective cover. When molding the protective cover 40 around the RFID unit 30 on the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21, a crosslinking reaction occurs between the adhesive layer 210 and the protective cover 40 due to the functional groups of the crosslinking agent, and the protective cover 40 can be closely adhered to the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21. The material of the protective cover 40 is silicone, silicone rubber, or a composition thereof. The adhesive layer contains a thermoplastic material. As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, when the electronic identification band 10 is used for the in - operating - room related equipment 70, the heat - and chemical - resistant protective cover 40 covers the RFID unit 30 and is closely adhered and connected to the sheet mounting portion 21 of the strip - shaped flexible substrate 20. Therefore, in the sterilization process of the in - operating - room related equipment 70, the RFID unit 30 is isolated from the outside, resulting in a good protection effect. When molding the protective cover 40, the following method can be adopted. As shown in FIG. 4, one method is to place the strip - shaped flexible substrate 20 in a mold for a hot press machine (not shown in the figure), arrange silicone or silicone rubber on the surface of the strip - shaped flexible substrate 20, and perform a hot press treatment. Another method is to place the strip - shaped flexible substrate 20 in a mold for an injection molding machine (not shown in the figure), and then inject silicone or silicone rubber with an injector. By the above - described methods, the protective cover 40 can be molded around the RFID unit on the surface of the sheet mounting portion 21.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, in this embodiment, if the RFID unit 30 is a UHF band RFID unit that prevents metal interference by a ceramic antenna, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for the electronic identification band 10 attached to the operating room related equipment 70 made of a metal material, an electronic reading device (not shown in the figure) can perform long-distance reading of the identification ID of the RFID unit 30. As an example, when the UHF band RFID system in a hospital corresponds to a frequency band of 922 to 928 MHz and the reading distance is measured for the electronic identification band 10 attached to the operating room related equipment 70 as shown in FIG. 5, the logical reading distance is from 0.76 to 0.81 m. That is, the metal does not interfere with or affect the electronic identification band 10 attached to the operating room related equipment 70 made of a metal material. The actual reading distance increases depending on the power of the equipment, and the average value is 1.5 times the logical reading distance. In other words, since the reading distance of the electronic identification band 10 attached to the operating room related equipment 70 reaches from 1.14 to 1.21 m in the frequency band of 922 to 928 MHz, the need to manage the hospital related equipment by wireless identification can be satisfied.

[0023] In this embodiment, the RFID unit 30 is not limited to the above, and it may be an HF band RFID unit. The fixing tray 22 is not limited to the above, and it may be omitted. The RFID unit 30 is not limited to the above, and it may be attached to the sheet mounting portion 21 of the strip-shaped flexible substrate 20 by an adhesive such as UV curable resin. The release paper 60 is not limited to the above, and it may be omitted. On the contrary, if the adhesive layer 50 is applied to the strip-shaped flexible substrate 20, the strip-shaped flexible substrate 20 can be attached to the operating room related equipment 70.

[0024] As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and can be implemented in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0025] 10: Electronic identification band 20: Strip-shaped flexible substrate 21: Sheet mounting portion 210: Next layer 22: Fixing tray 220: Mark 30: RFID unit 40: Protection cover 50: Adhesive layer 60: Release paper 70: Equipment related to the operating room

Claims

1. A strip-shaped flexible substrate, an RFID unit, a protective cover, and an adhesive layer are provided. The strip-shaped flexible substrate is composed of a flexible and insulating plastic sheet and has a sheet-like mounting portion. The RFID unit is disposed on the strip-shaped flexible substrate. The protective cover is formed to cover around the RFID unit on the surface of the sheet-like mounting portion of the strip-shaped flexible substrate and then isolates the RFID unit from the outside. The adhesive layer is applied to the bottom surface of the strip-shaped flexible substrate. The sheet-like mounting portion has a fixing tray made of metal foil on the surface. The RFID unit is mounted on the fixing tray, and the electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room is characterized by this.

2. The strip-shaped flexible substrate is a flexible plastic sheet made of polyimide (PI), and the electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

3. The strip-shaped flexible substrate has a mark formed around the fixing tray on the surface of the sheet-like mounting portion, and the electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

4. The sheet-like mounting portion has an adhesive layer applied around the RFID unit on the surface. The adhesive layer is composed of an adhesive and a cross-linking agent, and the cross-linking agent has functional groups similar to those of the adhesive and the material of the protective cover. The electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 1 is characterized by this.

5. The material of the protective cover is any one of silicone, silicone rubber, and their compositions. The adhesive layer contains a thermoplastic material, and the electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 4 is characterized by this.

6. A method is adopted in which the strip-shaped flexible substrate is placed in a molding die, the material of the protective cover is arranged on the surface of the strip-shaped flexible substrate, and the protective cover is molded around the RFID unit on the surface of the sheet-like mounting portion by performing a hot pressing process. The electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 5 is characterized by this.

7. A method is adopted in which the strip-shaped flexible substrate is arranged in a molding die, and then the material of the protective cover is injected into the molding die to mold the protective cover around the RFID unit on the surface of the sheet-like mounting portion. The electronic identification band for equipment related to the operating room according to claim 5 is characterized by this.

8. The electronic identification band for operating room related equipment according to claim 1, wherein the RFID unit is a UHF band RFID unit that prevents metal interference by a ceramic antenna.

9. Further comprising a release paper, The electronic identification band for operating room related equipment according to claim 1, wherein the release paper is attached to the surface of the adhesive layer.

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