US 12,485,195 B2
Method for automatic and sterile-container-specific detection of sterilisation cycles carried out by a sterile container
Lukas Boehler, Furtwangen (DE); Matthias Henke, Villingen-Schwenningen (DE); and Mateusz Daniol, Kozlow (PL)
Assigned to Aesculap AG, Tuttlingen (DE)
Appl. No. 17/793,449
Filed by Aesculap AG, Tuttlingen (DE)
PCT Filed Jan. 20, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/051109
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/148425, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 29, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 101 655.7 (DE), filed on Jan. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0033001 A1, Feb. 2, 2023
Int. Cl. A61L 2/24 (2006.01); A61L 2/04 (2006.01); A61L 2/28 (2006.01); G01K 1/022 (2021.01)
CPC A61L 2/24 (2013.01) [A61L 2/04 (2013.01); A61L 2/28 (2013.01); G01K 1/022 (2013.01); A61L 2202/14 (2013.01); A61L 2202/23 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for automatic and sterile-container-specific detection of sterilization cycles carried out by a sterile container, the method comprising the steps of:
A. detecting a temperature acting on the sterile container with a temperature measurement device at predetermined first time intervals;
B. storing temperature values detected after a predetermined first limit temperature has been exceeded in a memory;
C. suspending step B after the temperature falls below a predetermined second limit temperature or after a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the predetermined first limit temperature has been exceeded;
D. comparing said temperature values with reference temperature values with a control unit;
E. comparing temperature-specific holding time durations that are detected and stored in a memory after the predetermined first limit temperature has been exceeded with reference holding time durations to determine when the temperature-specific holding time durations deviate from the reference holding time durations;
F. determining a deviation between said temperature values and the reference temperature values with the control unit;
G. determining whether the sterilization cycle was carried out, based on whether the deviation is within a predetermined tolerance range, with the control unit; and
H. actuating a counter and/or a display device after the control unit determines that the sterilization cycle was carried out.