US 12,390,546 B2
Sterilization indicator reading apparatus with a color sensor
Peter D. Ludowise, Cottage Grove, MN (US); Anthony J. Jennen, Vadnais Heights, MN (US); Barry W. Robole, Hudson, WI (US); and Leroy J. Longworth, Woodbury, MN (US)
Assigned to Solventum Intellectual Properties Company, Maplewood, MN (US)
Appl. No. 17/310,654
Filed by Solventum Intellectual Properties Company, Maplewood, MN (US)
PCT Filed Mar. 13, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/052318
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 16, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/183433, PCT Pub. Date Sep. 17, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/818,344, filed on Mar. 14, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0402033 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. A61L 2/28 (2006.01); C12M 1/12 (2006.01); C12Q 1/22 (2006.01); G01N 21/64 (2006.01); H05K 1/18 (2006.01)
CPC A61L 2/28 (2013.01) [C12M 37/06 (2013.01); C12Q 1/22 (2013.01); G01N 21/6428 (2013.01); H05K 1/181 (2013.01); G01N 2021/6439 (2013.01); G01N 2201/0484 (2013.01); G01N 2201/062 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10106 (2013.01); H05K 2201/10151 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A sterilization indicator reading apparatus, comprising:
a housing comprising a top portion, a bottom portion, and a major side portion;
a well formed from a portion of the housing, accessible from the top portion, and oriented along a well axis from the top portion to the bottom portion, the well dimensioned to receive at least a portion of a sterilization indicator having spores that are responsive to an environmental condition in a sterilizer and a substance fluorescently responsive to spore concentration;
a heating element thermally coupled to a portion of the well;
a first printed circuit board that forms a first plane that is oriented parallel with the well axis, the first printed circuit board having disposed thereon;
a fluorescence excitation source configured to excite the fluorescently responsive substance of the sterilization indicator,
a white light source configured to direct white light into the sterilization indicator;
a color sensor positioned adjacent to the well; and
a controller circuit comprising:
a processor, wherein the heating element, the fluorescence excitation source, white light excitation source, and the color sensor are communicatively coupled to the processor; and
a memory communicatively coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises instructions that, when read by the processor, cause the controller circuit to activate the white light source for a first time period having a first duration, and activate the fluorescence excitation source for a second time period having a second duration, wherein the first duration is less than the second duration of the second time period.