The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 13, 2007
Filed:
Jun. 17, 2002
Durward Faries, Jr., Las Vegas, NV (US);
Bruce Heymann, Vienna, VA (US);
David Hendrix, Ashburn, VA (US);
Durward Faries, Jr., Las Vegas, NV (US);
Bruce Heymann, Vienna, VA (US);
David Hendrix, Ashburn, VA (US);
O.R. Solutions, Inc., Chantilly, VA (US);
Abstract
A disposable medical item for use with medical equipment includes circuitry forming an electrical path between the item and medical equipment. The circuitry is coupled to a medical equipment controller or independent microprocessor and includes a fuse. The controller transmits a status signal over the path in response to the equipment receiving the item. A disabled fuse prevents traversal of the path by the status signal, thereby indicating prior item use. If the controller does not detect the status signal, medical equipment operation is disabled. Otherwise, the controller transmits over the path a signal sufficient to disable the fuse to indicate item use and verifies the disabled fuse status. If the disabled fuse status is verified, the controller enables equipment operation. The controller periodically checks the fuse status during equipment operation and disables operation in response to a prior used item inserted into the medical equipment.