US4611601A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Disposable transducer systems
Assignee: IMO Industries Inc
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Filing: 1984-02-17
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Granted: 1986-09-16
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Expires: 2004-02-17
Abstract
Abstract Methods and systems for operating a disposable transducer or other disposable apparatus, which may be subject to sterilization inimical to that disposable apparatus, determine parameters required for operation of the disposable apparatus and provide a record of that determined parameters on the disposable apparatus. These parameters are subsequently derived by machine-reading the record on the disposable apparatus in order to operate that disposable apparatus. The mentioned record may be made destructible by resterilization and the machine-reading and the operation of the disposable apparatus may be rendered impossible upon resterilization of that apparatus by destroying the mentioned record by said resterilization.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald Bowman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 00:38
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B5/00; A61B5/02; A61B5/021; A61B5/0215; A61L; A61L2/00; A61L2/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
In a method of operating a disposable apparatus subject to resterilization inimical to said disposable apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: determining parameters required for operation of said apparatus; providing a record of said determined parameters on said apparatus; deriving said parameters by machine-reading said record in order to operate said apparatus; said record being made destructible by resterilization; and said machine-reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus being rendered impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus by destroying said record by said resterilization.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a method of operating a disposable apparatus subject to resterilization inimical to said disposable apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: determining parameters required for operation of said apparatus; providing a record of said determined parameters on said apparatus; deriving said parameters by machine-reading said record in order to operate said apparatus; said record being made destructible by resterilization; and said machine-reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus being rendered impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus by destroying said record by said resterilization.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of: providing said record in the form of a code combination on said apparatus; machine-reading said code combination; and effecting parameter adjustments for said apparatus in response to said machine-read combination.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of: subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said apparatus; determining said parameters from said output; providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and providing said record by recording said code combination on said disposable apparatus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, including the step of: providing for initial sterilization of said disposable apparatus without impairment of said record made destructible by resterilization.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as claimed in claim 1, including the steps of: providing said record with a cover protecting said record against sterilization; and removing said cover prior to first use of said apparatus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a method of operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: determining parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus; providing a record of said determined parameters on said apparatus; rendering said record destructible by resterilization; machine-reading said parameters from said record; operating said transducing part of the apparatus with the aid of said machine-read parameters; and rendering said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus by destroying said record by said resterilization.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a method of operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part, the improvement comprising in combination the steps of: determining parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus; providing a record of said determined parameters on said apparatus; rendering said record destructible by resterilization; machine-reading said parameters from said record; operating said transducing part of the apparatus with the aid of said machine-read parameters; and rendering said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus by destroying said record by said resterilization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, including the steps of: providing said record in the form of a code combination on said apparatus; machine-reading said code combination; and effecting parameter adjustments for said apparatus in response to said machine-read code combination.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method as claimed in claim 6, including the steps of: subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said apparatus; determining said parameters from said output; providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and providing said record by recording said code combination on said disposable apparatus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus and being subject to resterilization inimical to said disposable apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: a record of said parameters on said apparatus; and means for machine reading said parameters from said record on said apparatus; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
77 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus and being subject to resterilization inimical to said disposable apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: a record of said parameters on said apparatus; and means for machine reading said parameters from said record on said apparatus; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, wherein: said record comprises a code combination on said apparatus representing said parameters and being destructible by resterilization; said machine-reading means include means for machine-reading said code combination; and said system includes means connected to the latter machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said apparatus in response to said machine-read code combination.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
78 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, including: means for subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said apparatus; means receiving said output for determining said parameters from said output; means connected to said determining means for providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and means connected to said code combination providing means for recording said code combination in a manner destructible by resterilization on said disposable apparatus as said record.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, including: means for protecting said record against initial sterilization before first use of said apparatus.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A system as claimed in claim 9, including: a cover means removably located on said record for protecting said record against initial sterilization before first use of said apparatus.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: a record of said parameters on said apparatus; means for machine-reading said parameters from said record; and means connected to said machine-reading means for operating said transducing part of the apparatus with the aid of said machine-read parameters; wherein said record is destructible by resterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
93 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: a record of said parameters on said apparatus; means for machine-reading said parameters from said record; and means connected to said machine-reading means for operating said transducing part of the apparatus with the aid of said machine-read parameters; wherein said record is destructible by resterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
59 words
A system as claimed in claim 14, wherein: said record comprises a code combination on said apparatus representing said parameters; said machine-reading means include means for machine-reading said code combination; and said system includes means connected to the latter machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said transducing part of the apparatus in response to said machine-read code combination.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
73 words
A system as claimed in claim 14, including: means for subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said apparatus; means for receiving said output for determining said parameters from said output; means connected to said determining means for providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and means connected to said code combination providing means for recording said code combination on said disposable apparatus as said record.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
A disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus, comprising: a machine-readable record of said parameters required for operation of said transducing part on said apparatus; said record being destructible by resterilization thereby rendering a machine-reading and operation of said disposable apparatus impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
58 words
A disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said transducing part of the apparatus, comprising: a machine-readable record of said parameters required for operation of said transducing part on said apparatus; said record being destructible by resterilization thereby rendering a machine-reading and operation of said disposable apparatus impossible upon resterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
30 words
A disposable apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein: said record comprises a code combination on said apparatus representing said parameters, said code combination comprised in said record being machine-readable.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
A disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, comprising: a machine-readable record of said parameters on said apparatus; said record being destructible by resterilization; and means for protecting said record against initial sterilization before first use of said apparatus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
A disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, comprising: a machine-readable record of said parameters on said apparatus; said record being destructible by resterilization; and means for protecting said record against initial sterilization before first use of said apparatus.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
22 words
A disposable apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein: said record protecting means include a sterlization-impervious cover removably located on said record.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said transducing part of the apparatus; means for receiving said output for determining said parameters from said output; means connected to said determining means for providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and means connected to said code combination providing means for providing a record of said code combination on said disposable apparatus; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
119 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for subjecting said disposable apparatus to a physical influence affecting an output of said transducing part of the apparatus; means for receiving said output for determining said parameters from said output; means connected to said determining means for providing a code combination indicative of said determined parameters; and means connected to said code combination providing means for providing a record of said code combination on said disposable apparatus; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for machine-reading said parameters from a record thereof on said apparatus; and means connected to said machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said transducing part of the disposable apparatus in response to said machine-read record; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
87 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus including a transducing part having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for machine-reading said parameters from a record thereof on said apparatus; and means connected to said machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said transducing part of the disposable apparatus in response to said machine-read record; said record being destructible by sterilization, whereby said machine reading and the operation of said disposable apparatus are rendered impossible upon sterilization of said apparatus.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
92 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for machine-reading said parameters from a record thereof on said apparatus including a cable including optical fibers forming part of said means for machine-reading said parameters from said record on the apparatus and including electrical wires as part of said means for effecting parameter adjustments for said disposable apparatus; and means connected to said machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said disposable apparatus in response to said machine-read record.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
92 words
In a system for operating a disposable apparatus having parameters required for operation of said apparatus, the improvement comprising in combination: means for machine-reading said parameters from a record thereof on said apparatus including a cable including optical fibers forming part of said means for machine-reading said parameters from said record on the apparatus and including electrical wires as part of said means for effecting parameter adjustments for said disposable apparatus; and means connected to said machine-reading means for effecting parameter adjustments for said disposable apparatus in response to said machine-read record.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-09-15 | 1990-03-17 | 1990-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-09-15 | 1994-03-17 | 1994-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-09-15 | 1998-03-17 | 1998-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |