Device for surgical instrument, having sensors for the storage of information

Abstract

Some embodiments are directed to a device for a surgical instrument, including at least one sensor, a circuit for controlling and processing signals coming from the at least one sensor, a memory for storing information coming from the circuit, and a radio interface for transmitting this information to an external device, the sensor(s), the circuit, the memory and the radio interface being powered by a power source, the circuit, the memory, the radio interface and the power source being housed in one or several hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case(s), in order to allow an autonomous operation of the device.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 at least one temperature sensor configured to determine a temperature of the device;   at least one acceleration sensor configured to determine information associated with movement of the device;   at least one sensor configured to determine information associated to a degree of wear of the surgical instrument, due to mechanical or physical stresses;   a circuit for controlling and processing signals coming from the at least one sensor at least one temperature sensor and the at least on acceleration sensor;   a memory for storing information coming from the circuit;   a radio interface for transmitting at least a portion of the information to an external device;   a power source that powers the at least one temperature sensor, the at least one acceleration sensor, the circuit, the memory and the radio interface; and    at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case, the circuit, the memory, the radio interface and the power source being housed in the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case in order to allow an autonomous operation of the device, and   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state in order to  upon detection of an interruption received from the at least one acceleration sensor or the at least one temperature sensor and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case is an overmoulding made of polymeric or thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radio interface is an RFID tag. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes an accelerometer and a bimetal contactor. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the radio interface is provided to receive second information from the external device in order to store the second information in the memory. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case is constituted of a material resistant to a temperature of 135° C. and to a pressure of 3 bar. 
     
     
         7 . A transport box, comprising:
 the device according to  claim 1 .   
     
     
         8 . A system, comprising:
 the device according to  claim 1 ;   wherein the external device is configured to allow visualizing of the information received from the radio interface.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , further including a transport box. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein the transport box contains a set of surgical instruments containing the device. 
     
     
       11. A device for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 at least of sensor configured to determine information associated with wear of the surgical instrument;   a circuit for processing signals coming from the at least on sensor;   a memory for at least temporarily storing information coming from the circuit;   a radio interface for transmitting at least a portion of the information to an external device;   a power source that powers the at least one sensor , the circuit, the memory and the radio interface; and   at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case, the circuit, the memory, the radio interface and the power source being housed in the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case in order to allow an autonomous operation of the device,   wherein the memory comprises a counter, and the at least one sensor is configured to transmit the information to the circuit when the at least one sensor detects a mechanical or physical stress event, and the circuit is configured to increment a counter when the at least one sensor transmits the information to the circuit, and   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state upon detection of the mechanical or physical stress event by the at least one sensor and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold.    
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the radio interface is a passive transmitter.  
     
     
       13. A device for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 at least on sensor configured to determine information associated with wear of the surgical instrument;   a circuit for processing signals coming from the at least on sensor;   a memory for at least temporarily storing information coming from the circuit;   a radio interface for transmitting at least a portion of the information to an external device;   a power source that powers the at least one sensor, the circuit, the memory and the radio interface; and   at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case, the circuit, the memory, the radio interface and the power source being housed in the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case in order to allow an autonomous operation of the device,   wherein the at least one sensor is configured to transmit the information to the circuit when the at least one sensor detects a mechanical or physical stress event, and the circuit is configured to compare the information to one or more information templates to determine if the mechanical or physical stress event corresponds to a predetermined mechanical or physical stress event, and   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state upon detection of the mechanical or physical stress event by the at least one sensor and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold.    
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 13 , wherein the radio interface is a passive transmitter.  
     
     
       15. A device for a surgical instrument, comprising:
 at least one sensor configured to determine information associated with wear of the surgical instrument;   a circuit for processing signals coming from the at least one sensor;   a memory for storing information coming from the circuit;   a radio interface for transmitting at least a portion of the information to an external device;   a power source that powers the at least one sensor, the circuit, the memory and the radio interface; and   at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case, the circuit, the memory, the radio interface and the power source being housed in the at least one hermetic and heat and pressure resistant case in order to allow an autonomous operation of the device,   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state upon detection of an interruption from the at least one sensor and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold,   wherein an external device is configured to access the information stored on the memory, and   wherein the memory comprises a security mechanism configured to prevent access to at least a portion of the information.    
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 15 , wherein the radio interface is a passive transmitter.  
     
     
       17. A transport box comprising:
 a metal housing configured to transport a plurality of surgical instruments;   at least one temperature sensor configured to determine information associated with a sterilization even of the plurality of surgical instruments;   at least one acceleration sensor configured to determine information associated with a movement event of the transport box;   a circuit for processing signals coming from at least one of the at least one temperature sensor or the at least one acceleration sensor;   a memory configured to store the information associated with the sterilization event from the at least one temperature sensor and the information associated with the movement event from the at least one acceleration sensor; and   a power source that powers the at least one temperature sensor, the at least one acceleration sensor, the circuit, the memory,   wherein the memory comprises a first counter and a second counter,   wherein the memory is configured to increment the first counter when the memory receives the information associated with the sterilization event from the at least one temperature sensor,   wherein the memory is configured to increment the second counter when the memory receives the information associated with the movement event from the at least one acceleration sensor, and   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state upon increment of the first counter or the second counter and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold.    
     
     
       18. The transport box of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one temperature sensor comprises a bimetal contactor.  
     
     
       19. The transport box of  claim 17 , further comprising a radio interface, wherein the radio interface is a passive transmitter.  
     
     
       20. A device for an instrument comprising:
 at least one temperature sensor configured to determine information associated with a temperature increase above a predetermined temperature threshold;   at least one acceleration sensor configured to determine information associated with movement of the device;   a circuit for processing signals coming from the at least one temperature sensor and the at least one acceleration sensor;   a memory for at least temporarily storing information coming from the circuit;   a radio interface for transmitting at least a portion of the information to an external device; and   a power source that powers the at least one temperature sensor, the at least one acceleration sensor, the circuit, the memory and the radio interface,   wherein the circuit is configured to periodically come out of a standby state upon determination of the temperature increase above the predetermined threshold by the at least one temperature sensor or determination of information associated with the movement of the device by the at least one acceleration sensor and check if the power source has decreased below a certain threshold, and   wherein the device is configured to attach to a transport box, the transport box configured to transport a plurality of medical devices.