DE102019103466A1 - Intelligent medium detection for recording a treatment process - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for detecting a reprocessing and cleaning process of at least one surgical handpiece (5), in particular of motor systems housed in the handpieces (5), which is / are attached to a holding device (7) by detection of a fluid, in particular different fluids, by means of a sensor combination (1), the sensor combination (1) being arranged in a supply line (8) of the holding device (7) and by a temperature sensor (2) for measuring a temperature of a through the supply line (8 ) the holding device (7) of flowing fluid and a constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) is designed for determining a flow rate of the fluid. The present invention also relates to a method for the electronic monitoring of a preparation and cleaning process for surgical handpieces (5) by means of automatic detection of a fluid and detection of a flow rate of the fluid as a whole using a sensor combination (1).

Description

Technical area

The present disclosure relates to a device for recording and / or monitoring and possibly logging a preparation and cleaning process of at least one medical / surgical handpiece, in particular of a motor system accommodated in such a handpiece, which is temporarily docked at a cleaning station / holding device is / are, by detecting a fluid / medium, in particular different fluids / media, by means of a sensor combination.

Background of the invention

It is well known that medical handpieces and their built-in motor systems are subject to special hygienic requirements in medical technology. However, since some time usually elapses between the use of a medical / surgical handpiece and its cleaning, residues remain in the medical / surgical handpiece. dry up. The medical / surgical handpieces are, for example, milling cutters or shaver handpieces that have a longitudinal channel (also for accommodating electrical drives / motor systems) which cannot be cleaned manually with brushes, or only inadequately, since the bristles formed on them cause contamination inside the handpieces may be loosened, but cannot be completely removed, leaving behind dirt residues.

A preparation and cleaning process for surgical handpieces is therefore divided into manual pre-cleaning, machine cleaning and disinfection, a care step and a final sterilization step. For manual pre-cleaning, the handpiece is placed / docked on a holding device / cleaning station. Finally, a water gun is attached to a connection of the holding device for water and compressed air guns and the handpiece or its longitudinal channel is rinsed with water. For the subsequent machine cleaning and disinfection, the handpieces are automatically rinsed with a cleaning liquid and a disinfecting liquid using the holding device. After mechanical cleaning and disinfection, the residual liquids are removed from the handpiece by blowing them out with the aid of the holding device and the compressed air gun that is now connected to it. After the handpiece has cooled to an ambient temperature, the care step is finally carried out with an oil spray.

• - mit einer zentralen Zuleitung,
• - zumindest einem mit einem Ende der zentralen Zuleitung verbundenen Leitungsabschnitt, an welchem das zumindest eine medizinische Instrument angeordnet ist, und
• - einem an einem anderen Ende der zentralen Zuleitung ausgebildeten Anschlussabschnitt vorgesehen ist.

To carry out such a reprocessing and cleaning process for medical / surgical handpieces, said holding device / cleaning station is advantageous, which is used to hold and store at least one medical / surgical instrument, in particular a medical / surgical handpiece,

• - with a central supply line,
• at least one line section connected to one end of the central supply line, on which the at least one medical instrument is arranged, and
• - A connection section formed at another end of the central supply line is provided.

It is provided that the connection section of the holding device for medical instruments is designed to be optionally coupled to a pre-cleaning unit, in particular a water / compressed air gun, and a cleaning unit, in particular a filter unit connected to a flushing line.

However, no solutions are known which are able to monitor, record, record and, if necessary, carry out the treatment and cleaning processes described above automatically. So far, all necessary steps have to be carried out / initiated manually and then logged. It is therefore disadvantageous in the prior art that the cleaning and preparation process is not carried out automatically. In addition to a lot of manual work, the non-automated implementation results in only limited reproducibility and a high degree of susceptibility.

Summary of the invention

It is therefore the object of the invention to avoid or at least alleviate the disadvantages of the prior art. In particular, it should be ensured that the motor systems and ball bearings are adequately cleaned and then the moving parts are oiled / maintained. In particular, a device for recording a reprocessing and cleaning process is to be provided which allows a complete and qualitatively sufficient reprocessing and cleaning process to be recorded with high accuracy, in particular in order to more precisely determine service intervals and to minimize failures of motor systems arranged in medical handpieces.

This object is achieved by a device with the features of claim 1.

The essence of the present invention is therefore that in a generic device according to a first aspect of the invention, a sensor combination is arranged in a (central) supply line of a holding device / cleaning station having a temperature sensor and a constant temperature anemometer sensor (set), wherein the temperature sensor for measuring a temperature of a fluid / medium flowing through the supply line of the holding device and the constant temperature anemometer sensor (set) for determining a flow rate / flow rate of the fluid, the fluid / medium can be determined by means of a computing unit .

A constant temperature anemometer sensor (set) is used in the present invention to perform a constant temperature anemometry (CTA for short). In general, constant temperature anemometry is used to measure parameters (temperature differences) in turbulent / flowing gases or liquids (media). The functional principle is based on the cooling effect of a current on a heated body. By means of this measuring method, speeds are determined (computationally) at one point and continuous speed series can be supplied / obtained.

Such a thermoelectric anemometer works with an excess temperature of the sensor surface that is kept constant relative to the ambient temperature (temperature of the medium). In order to be able to set a constant overtemperature, the ambient temperature must also be measured. In the present invention, this ambient temperature is measured by a corresponding ambient temperature sensor. If the flow rate increases, the current / electrical power applied to the thermoelectric anemometer or its heating element is increased until the heat loss caused by the flow is compensated and the temperature of the sensor surface is again constant at the ambient temperature.

In other words, this means that, according to the invention, a device is provided in the holding device / cleaning station (rinsing rack) which is equipped with at least two sensors, in particular with the sensor combination described above (temperature sensor and constant temperature anemometer sensor (set)), in is able to recognize which fluid / medium is in the supply line of the holding device in order to be able to determine which process step is currently being carried out. The device can infer the type of fluid / medium by means of the sensor combination in conjunction with the computing unit. For this purpose, the temperature sensor measures the temperature of the fluid / medium located / flowing in the supply line of the holding device. The constant temperature anemometer sensor is used to detect a temperature difference between a heating element and a measuring element of the constant temperature anemometer sensor. From a change in temperature difference compared to a measurement state / reference state without a medium flowing, the flow velocity and, if the pipe diameter is known, the flow rate can then be determined / inferred, which in turn is characteristic of the currently flowing medium. Here, the device according to the invention provides a detection device with a measuring unit, etc. consisting of the aforementioned sensor combination, which automatically detects with the help of the two sensors which medium is currently flowing in the holding device and thus in which process step of the preparation and cleaning cycle the handpieces, in particular the motor systems located therein, are currently located.

In this respect, the currently running processes can be automatically recognized, monitored and also logged based on the currently flowing media. This is to be understood as meaning that the device verifies and validates the correct execution of pre-cleaning, rinsing, blowing and / or sterilizing the handpieces. Accordingly, the device is able to ensure error-free processing operation over the entire product life cycle of the handpieces by means of a simple and wear-free detection of the flow / the flow rate / flow speed of different media. This has the advantage, among other things, that digital recording of the preparation and cleaning process or the cleaning and oiling process is possible on the basis of the sensor combination described above and thus verification and validation of the necessary steps leads to both errors being minimized and also Time and labor is saved.

Advantageous configurations are claimed in the subclaims and are explained in more detail below.

It is further preferred if the constant temperature anemometer sensor (set) has a heating element and a measuring element, as already indicated above. The heating element has a temperature-dependent resistance which increases with increasing temperature. The electrically supplied / generated heat output is partially transported away by a flow of a medium as heat loss. Due to the fact that the electrical resistance of the heating element is dependent on the temperature surrounding the electrical resistance, in particular the ambient temperature (temperature of the medium or the air), the flow rate can be determined by the heat dissipation into / through the flow fluid or medium. This results from the fact that the flow rate / flow rate is proportional to the heat dissipation. This means that the higher the flow velocity / flow rate, the higher the heat loss. This electrical power to maintain the excess temperature on the heating element can therefore be used as a measured variable for determining the flow rate / flow rate.

In other words, the anemometric principle is based on a function of the flow velocity and uses heat transfer principles to determine the flow velocity. The heating element or heater is set to a constant temperature difference above the ambient / medium temperature measured by the temperature sensor. When the fluid flows past the heating element, heat and thus also energy is transferred from the heating element into the fluid, as a result of which the temperature difference drops. As a result, the heater's energy must be increased (automatically in a control loop) in order to restore the original temperature difference. As the flow increases / flow speed increases, the heat transferred also increases. The electrical energy that is required to adjust / maintain the temperature difference is therefore a measure of the flow rate / flow rate along the sensor. Knowing the heat transfer, the flow rate can be determined using the electrical compensation described above, which is required to maintain a constant temperature difference at the constant temperature anemometer sensor (set).

It is preferred if a constant, measurable temperature difference (reference temperature difference) is established between the heating element and the measuring element after a predetermined time when no medium flows past the constant temperature anemometer sensor. In other words, this means that a constant, measurable temperature difference is established when “no medium” flows through the line in / on which the constant temperature anemometer sensor is located. In the present invention, air is synonymous with the expression “no medium”.

It is preferred if the temperature difference at the constant temperature anemometer sensor changes, if the medium flowing through the feed line of the holding device is a fluid, preferably water, in particular rinsing water, or oil, and along the constant temperature anemometer Sensor flows. This means that switching from "no medium" or air to water or rinsing water for the cleaning process or oil for the treatment process / oil process changes the heat capacity of the medium flowing through, which means that the device can recognize which medium is in use it is or what process step the handpiece is in.

It is preferred if the temperature sensor is an independent sensor in the sensor combination.

It is further preferred if both the independent temperature sensor and the constant temperature anemometer sensor are connected to a chip or a circuit board on which a microcontroller is located. In addition, it is preferred if the circuit board is designed with its own energy store, preferably a rechargeable battery or a battery, and is able to record a predetermined time. This time recording is used to monitor a corresponding waiting time which the constant temperature anemometer sensor needs in order to be able to set a constantly measurable temperature difference, as described above. Furthermore, the microcontroller arranged on the circuit board has the task of recording and processing the values / parameters measured / outputted by the sensor combination, preferably digitally.

It is preferred if the device is designed / adapted to infer the flow rate based on the temperature of the fluid flowing through a feed line measured by the independent temperature sensor and a known diameter of the feed line in combination with the constant temperature anemometer sensor. In other words, this means that knowing the line / pipe diameter and the temperature of the fluid, which is measured by the independent sensor described above, can be used to precisely determine the flow rate of the fluid in the supply line by means of the constant temperature anemometer sensor can be.

It is preferred if the constant temperature anemometer sensor is designed to detect air flowing past, in particular compressed air, as a function of its thermal capacity. In other words, this means that the constant temperature anemometer sensor can detect compressed air flowing through the supply line. This means that based on the reduced heat capacity of compressed air it is recognized whether an air flow is acting on the constant temperature anemometer sensor.

It is preferred if the temperature sensor is designed to recognize the cleaning process, in particular the sterilization process, of a handpiece by means of a temperature measurement and is able to detect temperatures and holding times that occur. In other words, this means that the sterilization process is recognized on the basis of the temperature measurement. When recognizing whether the sterilization process is currently being carried out, only the independent temperature sensor is considered and the constant temperature anemometer sensor is disregarded. In this case, both the stand-alone temperature sensor and the constant temperature anemometer sensor recognize the rapid drop. This enables error-free detection of the oil process.

In summary, the present invention has the advantage that a combination of these two sensors, an independent temperature sensor and a constant temperature anemometer sensor, is sufficient to detect the type of fluid that is flowing through the supply line of the holding device in order to access the corresponding process step to be able to close. In this way, the number of cleaning and preparation processes or their completeness and quality can be recorded / recognized and the service intervals can be determined more precisely using this knowledge. This makes it possible to minimize unexpected failures of the motor systems. The only requirement here is that each medium takes the same route in the direction of the sensors.

• In einem ersten Schritt wird die Zuleitung der Haltevorrichtung und die damit verbundenen Handstücke bzw. das zumindest eine Handstück mit Wasser, vorzugsweise Spülwasser durchspült. In einem darauffolgenden Schritt erkennt die Vorrichtung das die Zuleitung durchströmende Wasser bzw. Spülwasser sowie dessen Temperatur und dessen Fließgeschwindigkeit mittels der Sensorkombination und dem bekannten Durchmesser der Zuleitung. In einem weiteren Schritt wird von dem Konstant-Temperatur-Anemometer-Sensor durch die Zuleitung strömende Luft, vorzugsweise Druckluft, erkannt. In einem nächsten Schritt wird die Zuleitung der Haltevorrichtung mit dem daran angebrachten Handstück mit Öl aus einer Spraydose durchspült. Dies wird als ein Ölvorgang des zumindest einen Handstücks erkannt. Anschließend wird in einem darauffolgenden Schritt die Zuleitung der Haltevorrichtung mit dem daran angebrachten Handstück einem Sterilisationsvorgang unterzogen, welcher basierend auf der Temperaturmessung durch den eigenständigen Temperatursensor erkannt wird. Alle vorstehend beschriebenen Prozessschritte werden von einem Mikrocontroller erfasst/erkannt, gespeichert und verarbeitet. Auf diese Weise wird in einem letzten Schritt die Anzahl von Reinigungs- und Aufbereitungsprozessen sowie deren Vollständigkeit und Qualität erfasst und festgehalten, um dadurch Serviceintervalle genauer bestimmen zu können.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method according to a second aspect of the invention for electronic monitoring of a preparation and cleaning process of surgical handpieces, in particular the motor systems located therein, by means of automatic detection of a fluid, in particular different fluids, and measurement of a flow rate of the fluid as a whole during use a sensor combination, preferably as described above, which has at least one temperature sensor and one constant temperature anemometer sensor and the method is characterized by the steps shown below:

• In a first step, the supply line of the holding device and the handpieces connected to it or the at least one handpiece are rinsed with water, preferably rinsing water. In a subsequent step, the device detects the water or rinse water flowing through the supply line as well as its temperature and its flow rate by means of the sensor combination and the known diameter of the supply line. In a further step, the constant temperature anemometer sensor detects air, preferably compressed air, flowing through the supply line. In a next step, the supply line of the holding device with the handpiece attached to it is rinsed with oil from a spray can. This is recognized as an oiling process of the at least one handpiece. In a subsequent step, the supply line of the holding device with the handpiece attached to it is then subjected to a sterilization process which is recognized by the independent temperature sensor based on the temperature measurement. All process steps described above are recorded / recognized, stored and processed by a microcontroller. In this way, in a last step, the number of cleaning and preparation processes as well as their completeness and quality is recorded and recorded in order to be able to determine service intervals more precisely.

The invention is explained in more detail below using a preferred exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying figures.

Figure list

• 1 is a schematic representation of a holding device including the sensor combination for cleaning and reprocessing surgical handpieces according to the present disclosure;
• 2 Figure 3 is a control circuit diagram of the apparatus according to the present disclosure;
• 3 is a cross-sectional view of a lead of the holding device with sensor combination introduced therein; and
• 4th FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a characteristic of the constant temperature anemometer sensor according to the present disclosure.

Description of the embodiment

1 is a schematic representation of a sensor combination 1 included holding device 7th for cleaning and reprocessing at least one surgical handpiece 5 (in 2 shown) according to the present disclosure. 1 shows the holding device 7th with a supply line 8th . The supply line 8th is a line which, according to this embodiment, preferably has three valve devices 9 in preferably three line sections 10 divides. At the respective end sections of the three line sections (branch lines) 10 is each a coupling device 11 intended, to each of which a surgical handpiece 5 can be plugged / connected mechanically and fluidly.

The sensor combination 1 is preferably by means of a clamping ring 12th in a section of the supply line 8th attached to this, which is optionally flowed through by air, water or oil before the supply line 8th by means of the three valve devices 9 in the three line sections 10 divided. The clamping ring 12th is with a circuit board 13th preferably via at least one cable / wire 14th electrically connected. At the open end of the supply line 8th , which of the valve devices 9 is remotely located is a connector portion 15th arranged. To the connection section 15th a water gun (not shown) can be connected so that the holding device can be pre-cleaned manually by injecting water 7th and the at least one surgical handpiece 5 can be carried out.

Furthermore is the connection section 15th provided, a flushing line of a cleaning and / or disinfection device, via which the holding device 7th a rinsing liquid / rinsing water is supplied, to be coupled to this for machine cleaning and disinfection. The connection section 15th can in this case have a filter unit which, during the machine cleaning of the holding device 7th and the at least one surgical handpiece 5 an entry of dirt particles into the holding device 7th and in the at least one surgical handpiece 5 with the flushing liquid / the flushing water prevented.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, a compressed air gun (not shown) is provided on the connection section 15th to be connected / coupled in order to blow out remaining liquid residues before a final oil process. The connection section is used for the oil process 15th with an oil spray can 6 connected, by means of which the holding device 7th and at least one surgical handpiece 5 is oiled / processed.

The movement arrow A in 1 indicates the flow direction of the air, the water / flushing water or oil.

2 Figure 4 is a control circuit diagram of the apparatus according to the present disclosure. In 2 are three surgical handpieces 5 shown, which each have a coupling device 11 (not shown) with the three valve devices shown symbolically 9 , preferably designed as shut-off valves, are mechanically and fluidically connected to one another. The three valve devices 9 are located at one end section of each of the three line sections 10 , which in the supply line 8th converge. In the supply line 8th is the sensor combination 1 arranged. In this embodiment the sensor combination has 1 a stand-alone temperature sensor 2 , a flow measuring sensor (as a heating element) 3 and a temperature measuring element (as a measuring element) 4, which together as a constant temperature anemometer sensor 3 , 4th act. The stand-alone, independent sensor serves as a reference. Any of the sensors 2 , 3 and 4th is with a circuit board 13th connected. Between each of the sensors 2 , 3 and 4th and the board 13th is an operational amplifier each 16 switched to amplify the measured signal. On the board 13th is a microcontroller 17th arranged, which is designed to receive and process the measurement signals of the individual sensors in order to recognize the individual process steps which are carried out by the device. In addition, the board has 13th via a time recording device 18th and via an integrated or external energy storage unit 19th , which is preferably designed as a battery or an accumulator. The time recording device 18th is used to set a corresponding waiting time / predetermined time until the constant temperature anemometer sensor 3 , 4th has set a constantly measurable temperature difference to be able to control / monitor.

Accordingly, in a first step, the supply line 8th the holding device 7th and the associated handpieces 5 or at least one handpiece 5 rinsed with water, preferably rinsing water. The device detects the water or rinse water flowing through the supply line as well as its temperature and its flow rate by means of the sensor combination 1 and the known diameter D of the supply line 8th as described above. In a further step the constant temperature anemometer sensor 3 , 4th those through the feed line 8th flowing air (preferably compressed air) detected, as described above. The next step is the supply line 8th the holding device 7th with the attached handpiece 5 rinsed with oil from a spray can. This is called an oiling operation of the at least one handpiece 5 recognized. Then, in a subsequent step, the supply line 8th the holding device 7th with the attached handpiece 5 subjected to a cleaning process, in particular a sterilization process, which is based on the temperature measurement by the independent temperature sensor 2 is recognized. All process steps described above are carried out by the microcontroller 17th recorded / recognized, stored and processed. In this way, in a last step, the number of cleaning and preparation processes as well as their completeness and quality is recorded and recorded in order to be able to determine service intervals more precisely.

3 Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a lead 8th the holding device 7th with the sensor combination incorporated in it 1 . In 3 is the supply line 8th shown with a line diameter D in cross section. Inside the supply line 8th the sensor combination is located 1 which are outside the supply line 8th with the board 13th connected is. The connection can be implemented either via a cable / wire or by means of a plug connection.

4th Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a characteristic of the constant temperature anemometer sensor. Here, the change in a temperature-dependent resistance due to the forced convection in the flow channel is measured and the temperature-dependent resistance serves as a heating element 3 . The heating element 3 is here by means of the microcontroller 17th or a controller on the circuit board 13th so electrically heated that the resistance of the heating element 3 and thus its temperature remain constant. This necessary power to be applied is shown in the diagram in 4th plotted on the y-axis as voltage U _OUT in volts [V]. This power can be used to control the heat emitted by the heating element 3 to which the heating element 3 circulating fluid are closed. As this heat increases with the flow rate of the fluid in the supply line 8th the holding device 7th is proportional, it is possible to infer the flow velocity. The flow rate of the fluid in the supply line 8th is in 4th plotted on the X axis in [ml / min].

In 4th a voltage curve is therefore shown versus the flow velocity with the aim of keeping the temperature of the fluid, in this case (drinking) water, constant at 23 ° C. In other words, the characteristic curve shown shows the dependence of the heating power on the flow rate. The relationship between the voltage and the flow velocity can therefore be described as an exponential function or as a polynomial. The relative speed sensitivity is almost constant over a wide speed range. In other words, the curve shown describes that the sensitivity of a constant temperature anemometer system is much higher at low speeds than at high speeds.

List of reference symbols

1

Sensor combination

2

Temperature sensor

3

Heating element

4th

Measuring element

5

Handpiece

6

Spray can

7th

Holding device

8th

Supply line

9

Valve device

10

Line section

11

Coupling device

12th

Clamping ring

13th

circuit board

14th

Cable / wire

15th

Connection section

16

amplifier

17th

Microcontroller / processing unit

18th

Time recording device

19th

Energy storage unit

Claims (9)

Device for detecting a reprocessing and cleaning process of at least one medical, preferably surgical handpiece (5), in particular of a motor system accommodated in the handpiece (5), which is temporarily attached to a holding device (7) for carrying out the reprocessing and cleaning process is / are, by detecting a flow medium, in particular mutually different flow media, in the holding device by means of a sensor combination (1), the sensor combination (1) being arranged in or on a supply line (8) of the holding device (7) and a temperature sensor (2 ) for measuring a temperature of the medium currently flowing through the supply line (8) of the holding device (7) and a constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) for determining a flow rate or flow rate of the medium with knowledge of the diameter of the supply line (8 ) by means of a computing unit (17). Device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the Constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) has a heating element (3), preferably a heated electrical resistor, and a measuring element (4). Device according to Claim 2 , characterized in that the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) is designed so that after a predetermined time after a certain electrical current is applied to the heating element (3) between the heating element (3) and the measuring element (4) sets a constant measurable temperature difference when there is non-flowing air at the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4). Device according to Claim 3 , characterized in that the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) is designed to detect a change in the temperature difference at the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) when a medium, in particular water or Oil flowing past the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4). Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the temperature sensor (2) is an independent sensor in the sensor combination (1) which is designed to detect the temperature of the medium present in the holding device. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4) is designed to detect air flowing past, in particular compressed air, as a function of its thermal capacity. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device is designed and designed on the basis of a temperature drop with at least one specific temperature gradient that can be detected by means of the temperature sensor and / or the constant temperature anemometer sensor (set) to infer a treatment of the at least one handpiece (5) with oil, in particular spray oil from a compressed air can in the context of an oiling operation / process of the at least one handpiece (5) by the computing unit. Method for the electronic monitoring of a reprocessing and cleaning process of surgical handpieces (5), in particular the motor systems located therein, by means of automatic detection of a fluid, in particular fluids that are different from one another, and detection of a total flow rate of the fluid by using a sensor combination (1), preferably according to one of the preceding claims, which has at least one temperature sensor (2) and one constant temperature anemometer sensor (3, 4), with the following processing and cleaning steps: Recognition of the fluid, in particular water, and recognition of the flow rate and the flow rate of the fluid; Detection of air flowing through, preferably compressed air; Carrying out and recognizing an oiling process of the at least one handpiece (5) with oil, preferably from the spray can (6); Carrying out and recognizing a cleaning process, in particular a sterilization process, by the temperature sensor (2); and Record the number of cleaning and preparation processes as well as their completeness and quality. Procedure according to Claim 8 , characterized in that the recognized processing and cleaning steps are recorded and stored by the computing unit and / or are transmitted from the computing unit to a central data management unit.

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