PROVISION OF MEDICAL INSTRUMENTS

Abstract

A method for providing one or more sets of medical instruments is provided, comprising: receiving a plurality of non-sorted medical instruments at an initial location, wherein each of the non-sorted medical instruments comprises an electronic identification tag, e.g. an RFID tag; identifying with an electronic reader a first medical instrument of a first type from the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments; and in accordance with one or more primary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type: repositioning the first medical instrument to a primary location for forming the primary set of medical instruments; and releasing the first medical instrument at the primary location.

Claims

1. A method for providing one or more sets of medical instruments including a primary set of medical instruments, the method comprising: receiving one or more requests indicative of one or more medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments, the one or more requests including a primary request indicative of one or more primary medical instruments to be included in the primary set of medical instruments; receiving a plurality of non-sorted medical instruments at an initial location, wherein each of the non-sorted medical instruments comprises an electronic identification tag, e.g. an RFID tag; identifying with an electronic reader configured for reading electronic identification tags by emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation within a first frequency range, a first medical instrument of a first type from the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments; and in accordance with the primary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type: repositioning, by a reposition mechanism, e.g. a gripper or suction device, the first medical instrument to a primary location for forming the primary set of medical instruments; and releasing the first medical instrument at the primary location.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more requests includes a secondary request indicative of one or more secondary medical instruments to be included in a secondary set of medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments.

3. Method according to claim 2 comprising in accordance with the primary medical instruments not including one or more medical instrument of the first type and the secondary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type: repositioning, by the reposition mechanism, the first medical instrument to a secondary location for forming the secondary set of medical instruments; and releasing the first medical instrument at the secondary location.

4. Method according to claim 1 comprising in accordance with none of the medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments including one or more medical instrument of the first type: repositioning, by the reposition mechanism, the first medical instrument to a remainder location; and releasing the first medical instrument at the remainder location.

5. Method according to claim 1 comprising identifying with the electronic reader a second medical instrument of a second type from the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments, and in accordance with the primary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the second type: repositioning, by the reposition mechanism the second medical instrument to the primary location; and releasing the second medical instrument at the primary location.

6. Method according to claim 1 comprising, prior to identifying the first medical instrument, arranging the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments to be individually spaced.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein arranging the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments comprises positioning each of the non-sorted medical instruments along a line, e.g. on a conveyor belt.

8. Method according to claim 1 wherein identifying with the electronic reader comprises repositioning the respective medical instrument to an identifier location of the electronic reader.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the identifier location is fixed relative to the initial location and/or the primary location, such as between the initial location and the primary location.

10. System for providing one or more sets of medical instruments including a primary set of medical instruments, the system comprising: a first reposition mechanism, e.g. a gripper or suction device, configured to reposition a medical instrument comprising an electronic identification tag, e.g. an RFID tag an electronic reader configured to read electronic identification tags at an identifier location by emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation within a first frequency range, wherein the system is configured to perform the method of any of claims 1-9.

11. System according to claim 10 comprising a first robotic arm, and wherein a retriever mechanism of the first reposition mechanism is positioned at a first primary end of the first robotic arm, the retriever mechanism is configured to retrieve the medical instrument.

12. System according to claim 11, wherein the electronic reader is arranged to form the identifier location of the electronic reader at the primary end of the first robotic arm.

13. System according to claim 10, wherein the identifier location is fixed relative to the initial location and/or the primary location, such as between the initial location and the primary location.

14. System according to claim 13, wherein the system is configured to reposition, using the first reposition mechanism, the first medical instrument to the identifier location to identify with the electronic reader the type of the first medical instrument.

15. System according to claim 10 comprising a second robotic arm, and wherein a second reposition mechanism comprises a second retriever mechanism positioned at a second primary end of the second robotic arm.

16. System according to claim 15 comprising a conveyor belt, and wherein the second reposition mechanism is configured to arrange the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments to be individually spaced along the conveyor belt.

17. System according to claim 16, wherein the identifier location is provided relative to the conveyor belt such that medical instruments on the conveyor belt are identified by the electronic reader by passing the identifier location.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0032] Embodiments of the disclosure will be described in more detail in the following with regard to the accompanying figures. The figures show one way of implementing the present invention and are not to be construed as being limiting to other possible embodiments falling within the scope of the attached claim set.

[0033] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary medical instrument,

[0034] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a tray comprising medical instruments,

[0035] FIGS. 3a-c schematically illustrates an exemplary system,

[0036] FIGS. 4a-b schematically illustrates an exemplary system,

[0037] FIGS. 5a-b schematically illustrates an exemplary system

[0038] FIG. 6 schematically illustrated an exemplary reposition mechanism, and

[0039] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an exemplary method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] Various exemplary embodiments and details are described hereinafter, with reference to the figures when relevant. It should be noted that the figures may or may not be drawn to scale and that elements of similar structures or functions are represented by like reference numerals throughout the figures. It should also be noted that the figures are only intended to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention or as a limitation on the scope of the invention. In addition, an illustrated embodiment needs not have all the aspects or advantages shown. An aspect or an advantage described in conjunction with a particular embodiment is not necessarily limited to that embodiment and can be practiced in any other embodiments even if not so illustrated, or if not so explicitly described.

[0041] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates an exemplary medical instrument 4, e.g. a scissor in the illustrated example. The medical instrument 4 comprises an electronic identification tag 6, e.g. an RFID tag. The electronic identification tag 6 may be electronically readable, e.g. by electromagnetic radiation, and the information retrievable from the electronic identification tag 6 may indicate the type of the medical instrument 4, e.g. a scissor, a clamp, a scalpel, etc. The electronic identification tag may comprise different information, such as a unique identification number. A system may determine the type of the medical instrument 4 based on a unique identification number, and subsequently lookup the instrument based on the identification number to retrieve the type of the medical instrument. In another example, the type may be retrievable directly from the information stored in the electronic identification tag 6.

[0042] FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a tray 38 comprising a plurality of medical instruments 4, e.g. comprising different types, scalpels and scissors in the illustrated example. The tray 38 comprises medical instruments 4 not being sorted, i.e. chaotically positioned in the tray 38. Each of the non-sorted medical instruments 4 comprises an electronic identification tag 6, as described with respect to FIG. 1.

[0043] FIGS. 3a-c schematically illustrates an exemplary system 2, such as a system 2 for providing one or more sets of medical instruments 4. In the illustrated example, the system 2 is configured to provide a primary set, a secondary set, and a tertiary set. The primary set is to be provided in a primary tray 38a positioned at a primary location 22. The secondary set is to be provided in a secondary tray 38b positioned at a secondary location 24. The tertiary set is to be provided in a tertiary tray 38c positioned at a tertiary location 26.

[0044] The system 2 is configured to receive a plurality of non-sorted medical instruments 4 at an initial location 20.

[0045] The system 2 is configured to receive one or more requests indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments, i.e. the system receives a request indicative of the medical instruments to be provided in each of the sets, e.g. the primary set, the secondary set, and/or the tertiary set. One of the sets, e.g. the tertiary set may alternatively function as a remainder set, i.e. a set which may be formed by medical instruments received but not being included in any of the requested sets. The requests may be received electronically, e.g. from a server. The system may comprise a processing unit (not shown) receiving the request and configured to control the elements of the system 2 accordingly.

[0046] The system 2 comprises first reposition mechanism 8 configured to reposition a medical instrument. The first reposition mechanism 8 may, as illustrated, comprise a first robotic arm 10. The first reposition mechanism 8 may further comprise a first retriever mechanism 12, e.g. a gripper or suction device, configured to retrieve, such as selectively hold, a medical instrument 4. The first retriever mechanism 12 is positioned at a first primary end 14 of the first robotic arm 10.

[0047] The system 2 comprises an electronic reader 16 configured to read the electronic identification tags 6. The electronic reader 16 forms an identifier location 18 wherein the electronic reader 16 may read the electronic identification tags 6 by emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation. As exemplified in the system 2 as illustrated in FIGS. 3a-c, the electronic reader 16 and/or the identifier location 18 may be positioned relative to the initial location 20 and/or relative to a primary location 22 corresponding to the primary set, a secondary location 24 corresponding to the secondary set and/or a tertiary location 26 corresponding to the tertiary set. For example, the electronic reader 16 and/or the identifier location 18 may be positioned between the initial location 20 and one or more of the primary location 22, the secondary location 24 and the tertiary location 26.

[0048] The system 2 is configured to identify with the electronic reader 16 a first medical instrument 4a of a first type. As illustrated in FIG. 3a, the system 2 retrieves the first medical instrument 4a at the initial location 20 from the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments 4. As illustrated in FIG. 3b, the system 2 repositions, using the first reposition mechanism 8, the first medical instrument 4a to the identifier location 18 to identify with the electronic reader 16 the type of the first medical instrument 4a.

[0049] The system 2 hereafter determines which of the sets needs a medical instrument of the type of the first medical instrument 4a. In the present example, the primary medical instruments of the primary set includes a medical instruments of the first type, and the reposition mechanism 8, as illustrated in FIG. 3c, repositions the first medical instrument 4a to the primary tray 38a at the primary location 22 corresponding to the primary set of medical instruments, and releases the first medical instrument 4a at the primary location 22.

[0050] In another example, the primary medical instruments may have not included a medical instrument of the first type, and the system may have determined whether the secondary medical instruments of the secondary set included a medical instrument of the second type. Had also the secondary medical instruments not included a medical instrument of the first type, the system could have determined to use the tertiary location 26 corresponding to the tertiary tray 38c as a remainder location for forming a remainder set, repositioned the first medical instrument 4a to the tertiary location 26 and released the first medical instrument 4a at the tertiary location 26.

[0051] After having repositioned the first medical instrument 4a at an appropriate location, the system may continue by retrieving another, e.g. a second, medical instrument of non-sorted medical instrument and repeat the same procedure.

[0052] After having completed a set, the completed set may be removed by removing the tray. The completed tray may be replaced by a new empty tray to be packed according to another request.

[0053] FIGS. 4a-b schematically illustrates another exemplary system 2′, such as a system 2′ for providing one or more sets of medical instruments 4. In the illustrated example, the system 2′ is configured to provide a primary set, a secondary set, and a tertiary set. The primary set is to be provided in a primary tray 38a positioned at a primary location 22. The secondary set is to be provided in a secondary tray 38b positioned at a secondary location 24. The tertiary set is to be provided in a tertiary tray 38c positioned at a tertiary location 26.

[0054] The system 2′ is configured to receive a plurality of non-sorted medical instruments 4 at an initial location 20.

[0055] The system 2′ is configured to receive one or more requests indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments, i.e. the system receives a request indicative of the medical instruments to be provided in each of the sets, e.g. the primary set, the secondary set, and/or the tertiary set. The system 2′ also comprises a remainder tray 38d at a remainder location 27 wherein medical instruments of a type not forming part of any of the requested sets may be positioned to form a remainder set, e.g. to be used for later received requests.

[0056] The requests may be received electronically, e.g. from a server. The system 2′ may comprise a processing unit (not shown) receiving the request and configured to control the elements of the system 2′ accordingly.

[0057] The system 2′ comprises a first reposition mechanism 8 configured to reposition a medical instrument 4. The first reposition mechanism 8 may, as illustrated, comprise a first robotic arm 10. The first reposition mechanism 8 may further comprise a first retriever mechanism 12, e.g. a gripper or suction device, configured to retrieve, such as selectively hold, a medical instrument 4. The first retriever mechanism 12 is positioned at a first primary end 14 of the first robotic arm 10.

[0058] The system 2′ comprises an electronic reader 16 configured to read the electronic identification tags 6. The electronic reader 16 forms an identifier location 18 wherein the electronic reader 16 may read the electronic identification tags 6 by emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation. As exemplified in the system 2′ as illustrated in FIGS. 4a-b, the electronic reader 16 and/or the identifier location 18 may be positioned relative to the initial location 20 and/or relative to the primary location 22 corresponding to the primary set, the secondary location 24 corresponding to the secondary set, the tertiary location 26 corresponding to the tertiary set and/or the remainder location 27 corresponding to the remainder set. For example, the electronic reader 16 and/or the identifier location 18 may be positioned between the initial location 20 and one or more of the primary locations 22, the secondary location 24, the tertiary location 26 and the remainder location 27. In the illustrated example, the system 2′ comprises a conveyor belt 36 on which the medical instruments 4 are arranged, and the identifier location 18 is provided relative to the conveyor belt 36, e.g. the electronic reader 16 may be provided below the conveyor belt, such that the medical instruments 4 on the conveyor belt 36 are read by the electronic reader 16 when passing the identifier location 18.

[0059] The system 2′ comprises a second reposition mechanism 28 configured to reposition a medical instrument 4. Particularly, the second reposition mechanism is configured to arrange the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments 4 to be individually spaced. For example, by arranging the non-sorted medical instruments 4 to be individually spaced along a line on the conveyor belt 36. The second reposition mechanism 28 may, as illustrated, comprise a second robotic arm 30. The second reposition mechanism 28 may further comprise a second retriever mechanism 32, e.g. a gripper or suction device, configured to retrieve, such as selectively hold, a medical instrument 4. The second retriever mechanism 32 is positioned at a second primary end 34 of the second robotic arm 30.

[0060] As illustrated in FIG. 4a, the second reposition mechanism 28 has arranged a plurality of medical instruments, including a first medical instrument 4a, a second medical instrument 4b, and a third medical instrument 4c on the conveyor belt 36, such that the medical instruments are individually spaced along the conveyor belt 36. The system 2′ is configured to identify with the electronic reader 16 each of the medical instruments, in FIG. 4a, the system 2′ is identifying the second medical instrument 4b, and previously the system 2′ has identified the first medical instrument 4a when it passed by the identifier location 18.

[0061] The system 2′ determines which of the sets needs a medical instrument of the type of the first medical instrument 4a. In the present example, the primary medical instruments of the primary set includes a medical instruments of the first type, and the reposition mechanism 8, as illustrated in

[0062] FIG. 4b, repositions the first medical instrument 4a to the primary tray 38a at the primary location 22 corresponding to the primary set of medical instruments, and releases the first medical instrument 4a at the primary location 22.

[0063] In another example, the primary medical instruments may have not included a medical instrument of the first type, and the system 2′ may have determined whether the secondary medical instruments of the secondary set included a medical instrument of the second type. Had also the secondary medical instruments not included a medical instrument of the first type, the system 2′ could have determined to use the tertiary location 26 corresponding to the tertiary tray 38c as a remainder location for forming a remainder set, repositioned the first medical instrument 4a to the tertiary location 26 and released the first medical instrument 4a at the tertiary location 26.

[0064] After having repositioned the first medical instrument 4a at an appropriate location, the system 2′ may continue by determining which of the sets needs a medical instrument of the type of the second medical instrument 4b, then the third medical instrument 4c, etc.

[0065] FIGS. 5a-b schematically illustrates another exemplary system 2″, such as a system 2″ for providing one or more sets of medical instruments 4. The system 2″ resembles the system 2 as illustrated in FIGS. 3a-c. However, with the only difference that the electronic reader 16 is arranged to form the identifier location 18 of the electronic reader 16 at the first primary end 14 of the first robotic arm 10. Thereby the electronic reader and/or the identifier location is movable with the first primary end 14 of the first robotic arm and the first retriever mechanism. Thereby, identification of the medical instrument may be done prior to retrieving it, and a medical instrument may be selectively retrieved from the non-sorted medical instruments 4 based on the type of medical instrument needed for a requested set. Consequently, the system 2″ of FIGS. 5a-b may not need to reposition the first medical instrument 4a to an identifier location 18 as in FIGS. 3a-c for identification.

[0066] FIG. 6 schematically illustrated an exemplary reposition mechanism 8 in accordance with the system 2″ as illustrated in FIG. 5a-b, wherein the electronic reader 16 is arranged to form the identifier location 18 of the electronic reader 16 at the first primary end 14 of the first robotic arm 10. To distinguish between medical instruments located close together, the electronic reader 16 is configured to read electronic identification tags 6 located at a very small identifier location.

[0067] With the electronic reader 16 at the primary end of the first robotic arm and/or at a location relative to the primary end of the first robot arm, such as to form the identifier location 18 at the first primary end 14, a specific instrument may be located prior to picking up the instrument. For example, this may be done by searching for the specific instrument by moving the primary end 14 of the first robotic arm 10 over the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments, while continuously emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation. In the position where the response is strongest and/or above a set threshold, the instrument underneath that position may be picked up. Confirmation of the desired instrument being picked up may be performed by again emitting and receiving electromagnetic radiation once the instrument is repositioned away from the remainder of the non-sorted medical instruments.

[0068] FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of an exemplary method 100, such as a method 100 for providing one or more sets of medical instruments. The method may be performed by the systems 2, 2′, 2″ as exemplified with respect to FIGS. 3-5.

[0069] The method 100 comprises receiving 102 one or more requests indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, medical instruments of one or more sets of medical instruments. The one or more received request 102 may comprise a primary request indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, primary medical instruments to be included in a primary set of medical instruments. The one or more received request 102 may comprise a secondary request indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, secondary medical instruments to be included in a secondary set of medical instruments. The one or more received request 102 may comprise a tertiary request indicative of one or more, such as a plurality of, tertiary medical instruments to be included in a tertiary set of medical instruments.

[0070] The method 100 comprises receiving 104 a plurality of non-sorted medical instruments at an initial location. The non-sorted medical instruments comprise electronic identification tags. Receiving 104 the non-sorted medical instruments may be independent of receiving 102 the one or more requests, i.e. receiving 104 the non-sorted medical instruments may be before, after or simultaneously with receiving 102 the one or more requests.

[0071] The method 100 comprises identifying 106a with an electronic reader, such as the electronic reader of the above described systems, a first medical instrument of a first type from the received 104 plurality of non-sorted medical instruments.

[0072] The method 100 comprises repositioning 108a the first medical instrument, by a reposition mechanism, such as the first and/or second reposition mechanism of the above described systems, to a primary location for forming the primary set of medical instruments, to a secondary location for forming the secondary set of medical instruments, to a tertiary location for forming the tertiary set of medical instruments or to a remainder location, in accordance with requests.

[0073] In accordance with the primary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type, the first medical instrument may be repositioned 108a to the primary location for forming the primary set of medical instruments.

[0074] In accordance with the primary medical instruments not including one or more medical instrument of the first type and the secondary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type, the first medical instrument may be repositioned 108a to the secondary location for forming the secondary set of medical instruments.

[0075] In accordance with the primary medical instruments not including one or more medical instrument of the first type and the secondary medical instruments not including one or more medical instruments of the first type and the tertiary medical instruments including one or more medical instruments of the first type, the first medical instrument may be repositioned 108a to the tertiary location for forming the tertiary set of medical instruments.

[0076] In accordance with none of the medical instruments of the one or more sets of medical instruments including one or more medical instrument of the first type, the first medical instrument may be repositioned 108a to the remainder location.

[0077] The method 100 comprises releasing 110a the first medical instrument at the respective primary, secondary, tertiary or remainder location.

[0078] The method 100 may continue with identifying 106b a second medical instrument, repositioning 108b the second medical instrument, and releasing 110b the second medical instrument. Next the method 100 may continue with identifying 106c a third medical instrument, repositioning 108c the third medical instrument, and releasing 110c the third medical instrument, and so forth.

[0079] The method 100 may comprise arranging 112 the plurality of non-sorted medical instruments to be individually spaced. For example, such as exemplified in FIGS. 4a-b, wherein the non-sorted medical instruments are arranged by positioning each of the non-sorted medical instruments along a line on a conveyor belt.

[0080] The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, the scope of the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiment, and alterations and modifications can be carried out without deviating from the scope of the invention.

[0081] Throughout the description, the use of the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth”, “primary”, “secondary”, “tertiary” etc. does not imply any particular order or importance but are included to identify individual elements. Furthermore, the labelling of a first element does not imply the presence of a second element and vice versa.

LIST OF REFERENCES

[0082] 2, 2′, 2″ system

[0083] 4, 4a, 4b, 4c medical instrument

[0084] 6 electronic identification tag

[0085] 8 first reposition mechanism

[0086] 10 first robotic arm

[0087] 12 first retriever mechanism

[0088] 14 first primary end

[0089] 16 electronic reader

[0090] 18 identifier location

[0091] 20 initial location

[0092] 22 primary location

[0093] 24 secondary location

[0094] 26 tertiary location

[0095] 27 remainder location

[0096] 28 second reposition mechanism

[0097] 30 second robotic arm

[0098] 32 second retriever mechanism

[0099] 34 second primary end

[0100] 36 conveyor belt

[0101] 38, 38a, 38b, 38c, 38d tray

[0102] 100 method

[0103] 102 receiving request(s)

[0104] 104 receiving non-sorted medical instruments

[0105] 106a, 106b, 106c identifying medical instrument

[0106] 108a, 108b, 108c repositioning medical instrument

[0107] 110a, 110b, 110c releasing medical instrument

[0108] 112 arranging non-sorted medical instruments