Medical Instrument Disinfecting System with Automated Traceability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical instrument disinfecting systems lack effective traceability, making it difficult to track the disinfection process and ensure that instruments are properly disinfected.
Innovation Solution
A disinfecting chamber equipped with means to acquire and associate identification data of instruments with characterization data of the disinfecting cycle, using bar codes, UV sensors, and data processing units to generate traceability data, ensuring that instruments are identified at each stage of the cycle and the disinfection conditions are recorded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional disinfecting chambers are used without identification systems, then the device complexity is low, but the traceability of instrument disinfection cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces identification means (barcodes, RFID tags) and data processing means as intermediary elements between the instrument and the disinfecting chamber. These intermediaries enable automatic identification and tracking of instruments throughout the disinfection process, ensuring traceability without requiring complex manual tracking systems. The identification data and characterization data are linked through a database, creating a comprehensive traceability chain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual tracking and physical monitoring with automated electronic identification systems. Instead of relying on mechanical or manual record-keeping, the system uses optical scanners, RFID readers, and digital databases to automatically track instruments through the disinfection cycle, reducing complexity while improving reliability.
2Measurement precision
If manual tracking of instruments is used, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision of disinfection process parameters is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The disinfecting chamber performs self-measurement of critical parameters including UV dose, temperature, and humidity through integrated sensors. The system automatically monitors and records these parameters during the disinfection cycle, eliminating the need for external manual measurement devices. This self-service approach ensures precise measurement of disinfection process parameters while minimizing additional system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where sensors continuously monitor disinfection parameters and provide real-time data to the control system. This feedback enables precise control and recording of the disinfection process, ensuring that parameters such as UV dose and temperature are accurately measured and maintained within specified ranges.
3Reliability
If comprehensive identification and tracking systems are implemented, then the traceability of disinfection is improved, but the ease of operation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The identification and tracking systems operate automatically without requiring manual intervention. Instruments are equipped with identification means that are automatically read by scanners or RFID readers as they enter and exit the chamber. The system self-manages the tracking process, linking identification data with disinfection parameters without requiring operators to manually record or track each instrument.
Solution Approach 2:
Automatic identification means serve as intermediaries that bridge the gap between physical instrument handling and digital record-keeping. These intermediaries automatically capture and link instrument identification data with disinfection process data, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring comprehensive traceability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution provides comprehensive traceability of the disinfection process, ensuring that each instrument is correctly identified and disinfected, and the conditions of the disinfection cycle are accurately documented, enhancing the reliability of the disinfection process.
Implementation Method 1
the chamber has means for generating an UV radiation for disinfecting the instruments and the characterization data of the disinfecting cycle comprise data on the UV dose emitted during the cycle, provided by a corresponding sensor implanted in the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
The invention concerns a medical instrument disinfecting system (1) comprising a disinfecting chamber (4) adapted to implement a cycle for disinfecting the instruments. The invention is characterized in that each instrument (1) comprises identification data (5) and in that the chamber (4) is associated with means (6) for acquiring the identification data of the or each instrument (1) when it is introduced into or withdrawn from the chamber (4) at the start and at the end of a disinfecting cycle, with means (7, 8) for acquiring characterization data of the disinfecting cycle and with means (9, 10, 11, 12, 13) for associating the identification data of the or each instrument and the characterization data of the disinfecting cycle to generate traceability data of the disinfection of the or each instrument.