U.S. patent application number 13/257849 was filed with the patent office on 2012-03-08 for device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining medical, in particular dental instruments.
This patent application is currently assigned to KALTENBACH & VOIGT GmbH. Invention is credited to Bernd Gugel, Hans Heckenberger, Herbert Lott, Johann Stempfle, Hans-Dieter Wiek.
Application Number | 20120058014 13/257849 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42629030 |
Filed Date | 2012-03-08 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120058014 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Heckenberger; Hans ; et
al. |
March 8, 2012 |
Device for Disinfecting, Sterilizing and/or Maintaining Medical, in
Particular Dental Instruments
Abstract
A device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining
medical, particularly dental, instruments comprises connecting
units for connecting supply containers for media used by the
device, in particular cleaning or care products, wherein the
connecting units comprise control and/or identification means,
which enable an identification of the supply container.
Inventors: |
Heckenberger; Hans;
(Assmannshardt, DE) ; Wiek; Hans-Dieter;
(Hochdorf, DE) ; Stempfle; Johann; (Pfaffenhofen,
DE) ; Gugel; Bernd; (Ulm, DE) ; Lott;
Herbert; (Bad Wurzach-Arnach, DE) |
Assignee: |
KALTENBACH & VOIGT GmbH
Biberach
DE
|
Family ID: |
42629030 |
Appl. No.: |
13/257849 |
Filed: |
March 19, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
March 19, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2010/053601 |
371 Date: |
November 15, 2011 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/119 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61L 2/24 20130101; A61L
2/26 20130101; B65D 83/38 20130101; A61L 2202/121 20130101; A61L
2202/14 20130101; F16J 13/065 20130101; A61L 2/18 20130101; A61L
2202/122 20130101; A61C 19/002 20130101; B05B 12/08 20130101; A61L
2202/17 20130101; A61L 2202/24 20130101; G01L 13/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/119 |
International
Class: |
G01N 33/00 20060101
G01N033/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 20, 2009 |
DE |
10 2009 014 065.4 |
Feb 17, 2010 |
DE |
10 2010 002 031.1 |
Claims
1-13. (canceled)
14. A device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining
medical instruments, with connection units for connecting storage
containers for media utilized by the device, wherein the connection
units have checking or identification means that allow
identification of the storage container.
15. The device of claim 14, wherein the connection units have a
mechanical checking or identification element, which has a
different design and/or positioning in accordance with the storage
container to be connected.
16. The device of claim 15, wherein the mechanical checking or
identification element is a pin or projection that engages in a
recess formed in the container in the assembled state of the
storage container.
17. The device of claim 15, wherein the mechanical checking or
identification element is a clamp, which at least partly grips
around the storage container in the assembled state of the
latter.
18. The device of claim 15, wherein the mechanical checking or
identification element is arranged on a flap or door of the device
and the device furthermore has a unit for checking the complete
closure of the flap or door.
19. The device of claim 14, wherein the storage container has a
transponder and the connection units have a readout device for
reading out the transponder.
20. The device of claim 14, wherein the storage container has a
magnet that characterizes the product situated in the container,
and the connection units have means for detecting the magnetic
field from this magnet.
21. The device of claim 14, wherein the storage container has an
optical encoding on its exterior and the connection units have
means that are designed to detect and evaluate the optical
encoding.
22. The device of claim 21, wherein the optical encoding is a
colored ring or an image.
23. The device of claim 14, wherein the connection units have means
that are designed to detect physical and/or chemical properties of
the product situated in the container.
24. The device of claim 14, wherein the connection units have means
for manual input of a code attached to the container.
25. The device of claim 14, wherein the connection units have a
lock that interacts with a key situated in the storage
container.
26. The device of claim 14, wherein an electric circuit with at
least one passive component is arranged on the container, with the
connection units having means designed to be connected to the
circuit and to establish characteristic properties of the passive
component.
27. The device of claim 14, wherein the circuit has a fuse element,
which the state of which is irreversibly alterable the means of the
connection unit.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a device provided for
disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining medical instruments.
More particularly, the device should be used to prepare dental
instruments.
[0002] Medical or dental handpieces are tubular parts that the
medical practitioner grips as a handle sleeve during the treatment.
A handpiece usually used in dental practice is a so-called drill
handpiece, which carries a treatment tool, more particularly a
drill, at its front end and the back end of which is coupled to a
supply tube by means of a coupling. Feed lines for energy for
driving the treatment instrument and fluid lines for treatment
media, e.g. air and/or water, extend through the handpiece. A
distinction is often made between so-called turbine handpieces, in
which pressurized air is provided for feeding a turbine arranged in
the front end region, and so-called motor handpieces, which have an
electric motor as a drive unit.
[0003] In order to maintain the function of the handpieces,
maintenance is required from time to time, particularly for the
rotatably mounted drive elements. Furthermore, the ever more
stringent hygienic requirements in dental practice lead to
handpieces having to be prepared at regular time intervals. The
successful preparation and maintenance of the appropriate
requirements must be recorded in full by the dentist; this entails
not insignificant personal and organizational effort.
[0004] Until now, dental handpieces were manually reprocessed by
the instruments firstly being spray-disinfected after use on the
patient and being externally washed. By contrast, in general the
interior of the instruments was not cleaned. However, in the
meantime cleaning and disinfection devices are commercially
available, in which the instruments are prepared before they are
subjected to oil care. Machine preparation has significant
advantages over manual maintenance of the instruments since only
machine methods allow safe and reproducible cleaning and
maintenance.
[0005] However, the devices known up until now can generally only
be used for individual preparation steps, and so cleaning,
maintenance and sterilization have to be carried out separately in
each case. The totality of the devices required for this takes up a
relatively large amount of space, with each device respectively
requiring electric, pneumatic and fluidic connections. Accordingly,
the implementation of a complete machine preparation of dental
instruments by means of individual devices is very awkward and
connected with great expense.
[0006] A further disadvantage consists of the fact that the
individual devices generally are not interconnected, which is why
there cannot be data interchange between the devices. This in turn
leads to more overheads for the operating staff because it is not
possible to create a continuous automatic documentation of the
instrument preparation. Furthermore, the instruments have to be
conveyed manually from device to device in intermediate steps,
which entails intensive employment of staff and requires much
time.
[0007] The present invention is therefore based on the object of
specifying a novel device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or
maintaining, or generally for preparing, medical, more particularly
dental, instruments, which device avoids the aforementioned
disadvantages.
[0008] In particular, the present invention relates to the
connection units, provided on the device, for connecting storage
containers for the media utilized by the device. These are cleaning
and/or maintenance products, i.e. various chemical substances that
are used during the different preparation steps. Mistaking the
substances, which results in a modified supply sequence, could lead
to severe problems, in particular to damage to the instruments to
be prepared.
[0009] In order to avoid this, a device for disinfecting,
sterilizing and/or maintaining medical, more particularly dental
instruments is proposed according to the present invention, which
device has connection units for connecting storage containers for
media, more particularly cleaning or maintenance products, utilized
by the device, wherein, according to the invention, the connection
units have checking or identification means that allow
identification of the storage container.
[0010] As per a first exemplary embodiment, the connection units
for example have a mechanical checking element, which has a
different design and/or positioning in accordance with the storage
container to be connected. This mechanical checking element can be
a pin or projection that engages in a recess formed in the
container in the assembled state of the storage container on the
device. Alternatively, a clamp, which grips around the associated
storage container, can also be utilized as a checking element.
[0011] These simple measures result in encoding of the various
containers, and so this ensures that the individual containers in
each case can only be assembled at the connector provided for them.
Mistakes of the type described above can thus be avoided, and so
the operational safety of the device according to the invention is
increased.
[0012] As an alternative to the above-described solution, it would
also be feasible to assign a transponder to the storage container,
with the connection units of the device then having a readout
device for reading out the transponder.
[0013] As per a further variant according to the invention,
provision is made for the storage container to have a magnet that
characterizes the product situated in it, and for the connection
units to have means for detecting the magnetic field from this
magnet.
[0014] As per a further variant, provision is made for the storage
container to have an optical encoding, for example a colored ring
or an image, on its exterior and for the connection units to have
means that are designed to detect and evaluate this optical
encoding.
[0015] Another variant in turn provides for the connection units to
have means that are designed to detect physical and/or chemical
properties of the product situated in the container. This can also
ensure that the storage container with the product situated therein
is arranged at a correct position or that an erroneous arrangement
can be identified.
[0016] Another variant in turn provides for the connection units to
have means for manual input of a code attached to the container.
When the container is connected to the device, the relevant user
must accordingly enter the code, with the latter in turn being
checked by connection units in respect of whether it characterizes
the correct medium situated in the container.
[0017] As per a further alternative, provision is made for the
connection units to have a lock that interacts with a key situated
in the storage container.
[0018] Finally, provision could also be made for an electric
circuit with at least one passive component to be arranged on the
container, with the connection units having means designed to be
connected to the circuit and to establish characteristic properties
of the passive component. This could also characterize the type of
the medium situated in the container. In the process, provision can
advantageously be made for the circuit additionally to have a fuse
element, the state of which is irreversibly alterable by the means
of the connection unit.
[0019] All above-described variants make it possible to avoid
inadvertent mixing up of a storage container and the resulting
erroneous arrangement thereof.
[0020] In the following text, the invention shall be explained in
more detail on the basis of the attached drawing, in which:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a sectional illustration of a process or
rinsing chamber of a device according to the invention for
disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining dental
instruments;
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a first variant for mechanically encoding a
maintenance-product container;
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a second option for encoding a
maintenance-product container;
[0024] FIGS. 4a and 4b show the interaction between a storage
container and a checking element in the form of a clamp;
[0025] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a third variant for mechanically
encoding a maintenance-product container;
[0026] FIGS. 6a to 6c show various feasible embodiments of a
maintenance-product container; and
[0027] FIGS. 7 to 12 show further variants for identifying a
maintenance-product container.
[0028] FIG. 1 first of all schematically shows the embodiment of a
device for disinfecting, sterilizing and/or maintaining medical,
more particularly dental, instruments, with the device in general
being denoted by the reference sign 1 below. A central element of
the maintenance device 1 according to the invention is a pressure
container 2, which surrounds a process or rinsing chamber 3. During
the process, the instruments 4 to be cleaned or maintained are
arranged in this rinsing chamber 3. Here, the instruments 4 are
arranged with the aid of an instrument holder, on which a plurality
of plug-in points or couplings 5 are arranged. Provision is
preferably made for various couplings 5, so that it is possible to
prepare instruments 4 having coupling systems from different
manufacturers. In the present case, the cover 6 of the process
chamber 3 serves as instrument holder. This cover 6 ensures the
fluidic coupling to a supply system of the instruments 4 to be
cleaned. It is clamped onto the rim or flange of the pressure
container 2 by a sealing unit and sealed with respect to this
container. A cleaning and/or maintenance product can then be
applied to the individual instruments 4 and the channels thereof,
individually or in combination, via connecting tubes integrated
into the cover 6.
[0029] The process when cleaning and/or maintaining the instruments
4 shall first of all be described in general terms below. Here, the
pressure seal of the process chamber 3 is checked before the
preparation is started. In the process, it is ensured that the
cover 6 has been inserted correctly and sealed to the pressure
container 2. A check is also carried out as to whether the fluid
lines between the cover 6 and the lines running in the flange of
the pressure container 2 are correctly connected.
[0030] In order to supply the device 1 with water, tap water is
preferably filtered by means of an osmosis installation with or
without downstream mixed bed ion exchanger, with the dissolved
salts being removed. The water with a quality of <15 .mu.S/cm is
routed into a device-side storage container, where the filling
level is monitored via a level switch, which is embodied as a float
switch, and the quality is monitored in a conductance sensor. The
inlet into the storage container is embodied with a so-called
cascade for reasons of hygiene.
[0031] When the instruments are prepared with the aid of the device
according to the invention, the following steps are then carried
out in succession:
a) Cleaning
[0032] The water is first of all routed from the above-described
storage container into the process chamber 3, wherein this can be
brought about via a pump or by suction via a vacuum. The water is
heated to approximately 45.degree. C. in the process chamber 3 with
the aid of heating elements. In the process, care is taken that the
temperature is not above 45.degree. C. in order to prevent proteins
from coagulating. The water is furthermore circulated with the aid
of a pump and directed onto the external surfaces of the
instruments 4 via spray nozzles, which are attached on the lateral
surface of the pressure container 2 or in a central dome, in order
to clean the instruments. In the process, the cleaning water can be
routed through the instruments 4 and/or the spray channels of the
instruments 4 and/or through the spray nozzles of the process
chamber 3 for external cleaning.
[0033] The washing medium can be heated during the circulation, and
so the surfaces to be cleaned are at first cleaned by a cold
washing medium. The cleaning product can in this case be added to
the process chamber 3 in the form of a powder or in tablet form, or
it can be metered in from an appropriate storage container. The
washing medium can in this case consist of surfactants or
phosphates and have a pH-value of greater than 10. In order to
complete the washing process, the water is let out of the pressure
container 2.
b) Rinsing--Neutralization
[0034] In a subsequent step, the water is then routed into the
process chamber 3 from the storage container and now it is heated
to approximately 45.degree. C. to 60.degree. C. Rinse aid or
neutralizer is added in a metered fashion from a further storage
container during the circulation of the water. Alternatively, as a
result of the higher temperature compared to step a), a second
component of a cleaning tablet can now also be dissolved. The
liquid is, once again in a parallel or time-offset fashion, or in
an interval operation, routed through the instruments 4 and the
spray channels or directed on the external surfaces of the
instruments 4 via the spray nozzles. Phosphoric acid ester with a
pH-value of between 3 and 5 in particular is used as rinse aid or
neutralizer.
[0035] The liquid can be let out of the pressure container again
and into the drain, or it remains in the container in order to take
up excess maintenance product emerging from the instruments 4 in
the subsequent maintenance process or to rinse the oily external
instrument surface briefly with warm liquid. In this case, the
liquid is only let out after the maintenance process, with it
possibly being helpful to apply pressurized air to the instruments
4 in order to prevent spray water from penetrating into the
interior of the instruments 4.
c) Maintenance
[0036] in a third step, Maintenance product from a maintenance
product storage container is routed into the interior of the
instrument, so that the gears and bearing surfaces are lubricated.
Here, the maintenance product can be injected into a
pressurized-air jet in liquid form as oil or from a pressure can.
The oil can also be foamed via the foaming agent contained in the
pressure can and the interior of the instrument can be filled with
this oil/air foam. In this case, the air bubbles collapse
relatively quickly, and so the oil forms a uniform thin oil film in
the entire interior of the instruments. Biodegradable fatty
acid-ester oil/white oil mixtures are used as lubricants.
d) Rinsing Off
[0037] After the maintenance process described above, the external
sides of the instruments can be rinsed off with the rinse-aid
liquid still located in the container. As an alternative to this,
fresh water from the storage container is routed into the process
chamber 3 via a pump and directed on the external surfaces of the
instruments via the spray nozzles.
e) Sterilization--Pre-Vacuum
[0038] Fresh water from the storage container is fed into the
process chamber 3 for the purpose of sterilizing the instruments.
For ventilation purposes, a vacuum apparatus is connected in the
process chamber 3, with the pressure within the process chamber 3
being monitored or registered.
[0039] The air is sucked out of the process chamber 3 with the aid
of the vacuum apparatus. The vacuum is reduced to atmospheric
pressure by heating the water via heating elements. The process
chamber 3 is then filled with water vapor, wherein, depending on
the sterilization program, this process can be repeated a number of
times.
[0040] The evaporated water volume can be refilled in every vacuum
cycle, wherein, as an alternative to this, the complete amount of
water required for generating the steam can also be introduced into
the process chamber 3 directly at the start of the sterilization
cycle.
[0041] As an alternative to generating steam by heating elements
situated in the process chamber 3, water vapor can also be fed in
from a steam pressure chamber, situated outside of the process
chamber 3, for equalizing the pressure during the ventilation and
for the sterilization.
f) Drying and Cooling
[0042] Once the sterilization is complete, the instruments 4 are
dried by condensing the water vapor situated in the process chamber
3. This is achieved by virtue of the fact that the container wall
or elements situated in the container are cooled, for example by
routing water through them, which water was taken from the storage
container. Here, the water can be fed continuously or during
intervals. The water is led away after the cooling process is
complete. The cover 6 can be opened because the temperature within
the chamber 3 has now dropped below 50.degree. C. This completes
the preparation cycle for the instruments 4.
[0043] What emerges from the description above is that the device 1
allows a fully automatic preparation of dental instruments. The
operating staff no longer need to take action and so this is a very
convenient system. It goes without saying that it is possible to
deviate from the described process for preparing the
instruments.
[0044] It can furthermore be gathered from the procedural steps
described above that different chemical substances are used for
cleaning, maintenance and disinfection when the instruments are
prepared. The substances are offered and utilized in different
states (solid, powdery or liquid) and packaging (spray cans,
liquid-dispenser bottles or tablets). Here, the different products
are usually labeled by appropriate imprints on the packaging or the
vessel.
[0045] The staff operating the device must during use thereof note
the different labels on the packaging; for example, the staff must
insert the correct cartridge or spray can into the associated
connection unit. Mixing up the substances would result in a
modified sequence of application, which can, as a worst case
scenario, lead to damage to the instruments to be prepared but at
least can lead to an impairment of the envisaged effect. This can
result in significant damage to both the patient and the user.
[0046] In order to avoid these disadvantages, the invention
proposes to embody the device in such a way that it independently
identifies the various storage containers or prevents an erroneous
arrangement.
[0047] Provision is made in a first variant for providing the
vessels or storage containers for the various substances with a
mechanical encoding system that is based on different external
shapes of the vessels. The device is then equipped with an
appropriate identification system or blocking system, which in end
effect leads to it only being possible to arrange the storage
containers on the connection unit of the device provided for it. To
this end, the storage containers can have different external shapes
and/or different dimensions. It would also be feasible to equip
these with different connection threads or different diameters for
the connection ports.
[0048] The storage container in the form of a cartridge or can is
usually connected to the corresponding connection unit by screwing
into a connection valve, insertion into a connection valve and
holding by magnetic forces, pressing into the inclusion valve via a
lift mechanism or pressing against the connection valve or holding
by spring forces. It is now proposed to apply a tapered
constriction to the storage container at different heights,
depending on the substance, with a device-side encoding
identification element or checking element in the form of a
bracket, clamp, gap gauge or pin engaging into the constriction
when the storage container is inserted into the connection unit. If
the storage container does not have the required constriction, or
if the constriction is arranged at the wrong location, this results
in it not being possible to connect the container to the connection
unit or it not being possible to close a door provided on the
device, which in end effect leads to it not being possible to
operate the device. The supply of incorrect media is eliminated by
this.
[0049] A first embodiment of this idea according to the invention
is illustrated in FIG. 2. A can, provided with the reference sign
50, is in this case inserted into the connector 60 of the device,
the connector 60 having a checking or identification element 61 in
the form of a pin, which is attached to a bracket 62. The can 50
has a constriction 51 on its external circumference, which is
embodied level with the pin 61 so that the latter can engage into
the constriction 51. The width of the constriction 50 is
dimensioned so that the can 50 has sufficient play in the axial
direction for complete screwing in or insertion.
[0050] By contrast, if the constriction 51 is not arranged level
with the pin 61 or not even present, this is an incorrect storage
container that is not provided for insertion into the illustrated
connector 60. Since the pin 61 now prevents insertion of the
incorrect container, this accordingly ensures that it is only
possible to connect containers with the right contents.
[0051] A second variant is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4a and/or 4b.
Here, a can 50 is screwed into a non-pivotable connector 60, and so
it is already in the use position. Inserting an incorrect can is
now indicated by virtue of the fact that a jaw-shaped clamp 66 is
arranged on a housing flap 65. This clamp in turn is provided to
engage into a corresponding circumferential constriction 52 on the
casing of the can 50. If the constriction 52 is embodied at the
wrong level, this results in the configuration from FIG. 4a, in
which the jaw-shaped clamp 66 prevents the housing flap 65 from
closing. By contrast, the configuration as per FIG. 4b emerges if
the correct can 50 was inserted, in which the housing flap 65 can
be completely closed. Here, electric circuits or sensors can
monitor the complete closure of the housing flap 65 as an
additional safety measure. The device is prevented from operating
if this flap 65 is not completely closed.
[0052] A third embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 5a and 5b, in
which a can 50 can be screwed into a pivotable connector 60 and is
then pivoted back into the use position in FIG. 5b. Use is once
again made of a jaw-shaped clamp 66, which engages into the
circumferential constriction 52 if the correct storage container is
used. By contrast, pivoting back is prevented if an attempt is made
to arrange an incorrect can.
[0053] Thus, all three described variants are based on attaching a
checking element on the connector 60 of the device, which checking
element interacts with corresponding shaping of the storage
container to prevent inadvertent insertion of an incorrect storage
container. In the process, very different constrictions or recesses
can be provided in the circumferential wall of the container 50, as
shown in FIGS. 6a to 6c.
[0054] FIGS. 7 to 12 show alternative solutions for checking the
identity of the connected storage container. These solutions shall
be explained in the following text.
[0055] The storage container 50 in the variant as per FIG. 7 is
provided with a transponder 70. The connection units of the device
in turn have a schematically illustrated readout device 71 for
communicating with the transponder 70. The transponder 70 is
preferably situated externally on the base of the can 50; however,
it can also be situated on the lateral surface. The carrier
frequency for communication is approximately in the vicinity of 125
kHz. If several cans are used, each can receives its own encoding
with the aid of the transponder in order to stop the device being
equipped incorrectly. The amount of content removed or the cycle
number of the removal is written back on the transponder, and so
the amount of content still available in the can can also be
deduced. By way of example, this could also be displayed on the
device in order to initiate the procurement of a replacement
storage container in good time. This provides an additional
advantage in addition to preventing incorrect equipping.
[0056] In the variant as per FIG. 8, the storage container 50 is
provided with a magnet 75, which characterizes the contents of the
can. The connection units of the device have a corresponding sensor
76, for example a Hall sensor, by means of which the magnetic field
of the magnet 75 can be detected. The contents of the storage
container 50 can also be characterized in this case by selecting
suitable magnets. Furthermore, the magnet 75 could simultaneously
be used to actuate or open a valve situated in the media path of
the connection units. This additionally increases the operational
safety.
[0057] In the variant as per FIG. 9 an optical marking has been
applied to the exterior of the storage container, which marking is
formed by a colored ring 80 in the illustrated embodiment. A color
sensor 81 situated on the device 1 can then identify the color
printed onto the storage container 50. Using different colors once
again makes it possible to distinguish between different storage
containers. As an alternative to this it would also be feasible to
arrange an image or, in general terms, an optical element on the
exterior of the storage container and identify and evaluate this by
appropriate means of the device. The symbol situated on the can
could then be established with the aid of a digital camera and
appropriate pattern recognition software in order to identify
erroneous equipping, if appropriate, or in order to identify the
use of the correct storage container.
[0058] In the variant as per FIG. 10, a code 85 is printed onto the
lateral surface of the storage container. This code has to be
entered by the user via an input field 86 situated on the device
after the container was attached. An appropriate checking unit on
the device then checks the correctness of the code, with the
container being opened in the case of a positive result. This
entered code can then also be stored internally so that it is no
longer available for further openings. This also prevents multiple
use of the container.
[0059] In the variant as per FIG. 11, the storage container 50
contains a type of key, which interacts with a corresponding lock
or lock cylinder in the device. Thus, the key 90 of the storage
container 50 can be utilized to open the path to the can 50 or to
hold the can. This can be brought about by mechanical, electronic
or electrical means. In the process, the key could be implemented
as a rim end or the like, or it could be embodied so that it
simultaneously serves as can receptacle for the device.
[0060] In a variant not illustrated in the Figures, provision is
furthermore made for the contents of the storage container to be
identified by its physical and/or chemical properties. To this end,
the connection unit has a sensor by means of which e.g. the
conductance, the refractive index, the color, the fluorescence and
the like is determined when the medium is removed for the first
time. This can in turn identify incorrect equipping.
[0061] Finally, FIG. 12 shows a variant in which the contents of
the storage container are identified via an electric circuit. The
latter contains at least one passive component, e.g. a resistor, an
inductor or a capacitor. The circuit is arranged on a circuit board
associated with the container. It has a contact connection that
allows connection to the connection units of the preparation
device.
[0062] In the variant illustrated in FIG. 12, a connection is
established to the device via the connector K1, for example when
the storage container is inserted. The resistors R1 and R2 result
in a voltage divider, with it then being possible to establish the
voltage via the PIN2 when a predetermined voltage is applied to the
connector K1. The storage containers can then be encoded
accordingly by utilizing different values for the resistors.
[0063] The circuit furthermore has a fuse element, the state of
which is alterable once. By way of example, this element can be
formed by a diode in the overload region.
[0064] The input 1 on the plug-in connector K1 can be used to
establish whether the fuse is still intact. If the storage
container is emptied completely, the switch S1 can trigger the
fuse. The blown fuse then serves as an indicator that the container
is empty. If an attempt is made to transfer the circuit board to
another can, this can be identified by the device on the basis of
the blown fuse. A thin circuit-board conductor element, which burns
out, or a resistor with a very low rating could also be used in
place of the diode.
[0065] All described variants afford the possibility of
unambiguously characterizing the container with the medium
contained therein, and so incorrectly equipping the device is
reliably prevented.
* * * * *