Abstract:
The subject matter discloses a method of attaching a tag to a disposable item such as a sponge, the method comprising obtaining a tag and a disposable item; attaching the tag to the disposable item using an adhesive material. The adhesive material is cured by ultraviolet radiation. The method also comprises applying the ultraviolet radiation on the tag attached on the disposable item. The tag may be an RE tag.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority from U.S. application Ser. No. 12/852,525 filed on Aug. 9, 2010 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to attaching RE tags in general and to attaching RF tags to a sponge and gauze item in particular. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the Related Art 
         [0005]    There are many environments in which multiple tools and disposables are used, including for example operation rooms, hangars, garages, or the like. 
         [0006]    An operation room is a facility in which intrusive operations are performed on patients. Typically, multiple people participate in an operation, using multiple tools, such as scalpels, forceps, and others, varying according to the surgery being performed. 
         [0007]    Intensive efforts are invested in keeping track of all tools and disposables, in order to make sure no tool unintentionally remains inside the patient&#39;s body. Therefore, careful counting is performed before, during and after the operation. Counting the tools is a tedious job and requires intensive resources, including mental resources, personnel time and down-time of the operating room. Counting the tools towards the end of an operation also increases the time the patient&#39;s body is open with the associated risks, in addition, counting is not always error-free, and in too many cases tools end up being left within the patient&#39;s body, causing severe damages and even death. 
         [0008]    One of the elements counted in an operation room is sponge items, such as gauze and laparotomy sponges. It is also desired to count the sponge items after an operation to verify that none is left in the patient&#39;s tissues. Counting the sponge items can be performed by detecting X-ray detectable wires attached to the sponge items using an X-ray machine, Such machine generates radiation and cannot distinguish one sponge item from several items. As a result, after removing a sponge item from the patient&#39;s tissue, one still cannot verify that the patient&#39;s tissue is free from sponge items unless rescanning the patient again with X-ray machine. 
         [0009]    To solve the above problem, RE tags may be attached to sponge items by sewing. The sewing may be performed manually, which is not cost-effective and time consuming. Manual sewing reduces the throughput of the attaching process and increases the costs of the machine that outputs the sponges from raw sheet of the sponge material. It is challenging to mechanize the sewing process, as there are many sizes and models of sponge items, on which the RE tags are to be attached. For example, a different machine is required for sewing an RE tag to a 30 cm long sponge than for a 45 cm long sponge. 
         [0010]    There is thus a need in the art for a biocompatible and sterilization-resistant identification tag to be attached to a sponge, and a automated cost effective method for attaching the tag to the sponge. 
       SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
       [0011]    The subject matter discloses a method of attaching a tag to a sponge item, the method comprising obtaining a tag, obtaining a sponge item and attaching the tag to the disposable item using an adhesive material. The adhesive material is cured by ultraviolet radiation. The method further comprises applying the ultraviolet radiation on the tag attached on the disposable item. 
         [0012]    In some cases, the tag is an RE tag. In some cases, the adhesive material is attached to the tag before the tag is attached to the disposable item. In some cases, the adhesive material is attached to the disposable item before the tag is attached to the disposable item. 
         [0013]    In some cases, the method further comprises a step of folding the disposable item. In some cases, the adhesive material is attached to more than one layer of the folded disposable item. In some cases, the ultraviolet radiation cures the adhesive material in more than one layer of the folded disposable item. 
         [0014]    In some cases, the step of attaching is performed before folding the disposable item. In some cases, the method further comprises a step of maneuvering the tag from tag storage to a working plate on which the disposable item is mounted. Optionally, the adhesive material is DYMAX Ultra Light-Weld 204-CTH-F. 
         [0015]    The subject matter also discloses a system for attaching a tag to a sponge item, the system comprising a maneuvering mechanism for maneuvering the tag towards the sponge item and an adhesive material storage unit for providing adhesive material attaching the tag and the sponge item. The system also comprises an ultraviolet radiation module for radiating ultraviolet radiation on the tag attached to the sponge item; wherein the ultraviolet radiation cures the adhesive material. 
         [0016]    In some cases, the maneuvering mechanism maneuvers the tag to the adhesive material storage unit before mounting the tag on the sponge item. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
         [0017]    Exemplary non-limited embodiments of the disclosed subject matter will be described, with reference to the following description of the embodiments, in conjunction with the figures. The figures are generally not shown to scale and any sizes are only meant to be exemplary and not necessarily limiting. Corresponding or like elements are optionally designated by the same numerals or letters. 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration of an operation room, in which an identification and tracking system and method are required, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of a production line environment for attaching a tag to a disposable item, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  shows a method for attaching a tag to a disposable item, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    One technical challenge disclosed in the subject matter is to attach a tag to a sponge item while maintaining sterilization requirements, such as used in medical environments and hospitals. 
         [0022]    One technical solution of the disclosed subject matter is a system and a method for attaching a tag to a sponge item. The tag can be an RF tag. The method comprises receiving a sponge item from a storage and mounting the sponge item on a working plate. The method further comprises receiving a tag to be soaked in a UV adhesive material and placed on the sponge item and placing the tag on the sponge item. The method also comprises a step of drying an adhesive material, attaching the tag to the disposable item. The drying is performed using Ultraviolet light emitted from a UV emitter. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic illustration of an operation room, in which an identification and tracking system and method are required. 
         [0024]    A typical operation room comprises an operation bed  104  on which a patient  110  being operated on lies. A surgeon  108  stands by patient  110  and operates on him, A circulating nurse who does not touch the sponges but only opens their wraps may place the sponges on instrument table  112 . Surgeon  108  receives the sponges as required from a scrub nurse who takes the sponges from an instrument table  112 . 
         [0025]    Surgeon  108  or another team member can place the sponges on a moveable tray  116  placed above or near the patient  110 , often called a Mayo. Each operation room typically has one or more instrument tables and one or more Mayos, depending on factors such as the complexity of the surgery, number of surgeons and other team members, personal preferences or others. 
         [0026]    The team members retrieve clean sponges from one or more clean sponge bins or dispenser  120 , and throw the used ones into one or more waste buckets  124 . 
         [0027]    Thus, at the end of the surgery, all sponges that were in the operation room prior to the surgery, should be on instrument table  112 , on Mayo  116 , in clean sponge bin  120  or in waste bucket  124  (collectively referred to as the “utilities”). 
         [0028]    The operation room is also equipped with a wand  128 , which is also an antenna, and which is used for identifying and tracking items within the body of patient  110 , by waving the wand near patient  110 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of a production line environment  200  for attaching a tag to a disposable item, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter. The environment  200  comprises a tag storage  220  for storing one or more tags to be attached to disposable items. 
         [0030]    The environment  200  further comprises a disposable item storage  210  for storing disposable items. The disposable items may also be provided directly from a manufacturing machine or a production line of disposable items, which may be regarded as equivalent to the disposable item storage  210 . The disposable item may be of one or more types, such as sponges, or cotton wool items, The disposable item may be a gauze pad, a laparotomy sponge and the like. The disposable item storage  210  may comprise two or more storage units for storing two or more types of disposable items. 
         [0031]    The tag storage  220  may store the tags arranged in a tag stack. The tag storage  220  may comprise a mechanism for outputting one or more tags every predefined period, for example for 2 disposable items every 10 seconds. 
         [0032]    The environment  200  may further comprise a working plate  230  on which the tag is attached to the disposable item. The working plate  230  may be a conveyor belt, The working plate  230  may be positioned between the disposable item storage  210  and an endpoint  250  to which the disposable items with an attached tag are provided. Optionally, disposable items are released from disposable item storage  210  and conveyed along working plate  230  to endpoint  250 . 
         [0033]    The environment  200  may further comprise a maneuvering mechanism  225  for maneuvering tags from the tag storage  220  to meet disposable items such as  212 ,  213 , and  214  as they are being conveyed along working plate  230 . Optionally, tag storage  220  has a tag release interface  232  that provides tags from tag storage  220  to maneuvering mechanism  225 . Optionally, the maneuvering mechanism  225  moves tags from tag release interface  232 , wherein the maneuver mechanism  225  obtains a tag, to a disposable item interface  237 , wherein the maneuvering mechanism  225  delivers the tags to be mounted on the disposable item. The maneuvering mechanism  225  may contain one or more gripping arms (not shown) to receive the tag from the tag storage  220 . 
         [0034]    The tag is attached to the disposable item using an adhesive material that is UV curable. The adhesive material may be provided on the tag before or after the tag is obtained from the maneuvering mechanism  225 . The adhesive material can be provided on the disposable item before attachment to the tag. The UV curable adhesive material may be DYMAX Ultra Light-Weld 204-CTH-F. 
         [0035]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosed subject matter, the maneuvering mechanism  225  grips a tag, maneuvers the tag to a dispensing area of an adhesive material storage and places the tag containing the adhesive material on the disposable item. In some cases, the adhesive material is obtained only on one side of the tag, the side attached to the disposable item. 
         [0036]    The disposable items such as  212 ,  213 , and  214  may be positioned on the working plate  230  when the tags are mounted thereon. The disposable items may be folded in order to reduce the volume or surface area they consume. Attaching the tags may be done before folding or after. 
         [0037]    The environment  200  further comprises an ultraviolet (UV) emitting device  240 . The UV emitting device  240  emits UV radiation  241  on the tag attached to the disposable item as it passes by. The UV radiation  241  cures the adhesive material. The adhesive material is adapted to be cured by the UV radiation  241 . The UV radiation  241  may be applied on a predefined area on the working plate  230  or applied generally to the direction of the tag attached to the disposable item. 
         [0038]      FIG. 3  shows a method for attaching a tag to a disposable item, according to exemplary embodiments of the subject matter. In step  320 , a disposable item is obtained. The disposable item may be obtained from a disposable item storage or from a user. As explained above the disposable item may be a sponge, cotton wool, and the like. 
         [0039]    In step  310 , a tag is obtained. The tag may contain a transmitting device, sending a signal to a computerized or electronic entity. Such computerized or electronic entity receives signals from one or more items in the environment and provides indications to the user. The tag may contain an RF transmitter or another transmitter that transmits wireless signals to the computerized or electronic entity. 
         [0040]    In step  325 , the tag is maneuvered from a tag storage to the disposable item. The maneuvering may be performed using a maneuvering mechanism  225 . The tag can be held in one or more gripping arms while being maneuvered towards the disposable item. The maneuver can be made to a predefined area in the working plate  230  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0041]    In step  330 , the tag is attached to the disposable item. The attachment may be performed on a predefined area of the disposable item. In some cases, the maneuvering mechanism  225  comprises a control unit for determining the location in which the tag is released from the maneuvering mechanism  225 . 
         [0042]    In step  322 , adhesive material is provided to attach the tag to the disposable item. The adhesive material is curable using ultraviolet radiation. The adhesive material may be, for example, DYMAX Ultra Light-Weld 204-CTH-F. The adhesive material may be provided on the tag. Alternatively, the adhesive material may be provided on the disposable item. 
         [0043]    In step  340 , the disposable item is folded. The folding may be performed before or after the tag is attached to the disposable item. The folding may be performed by a mechanical or electronic mechanism or by a person. The adhesive material may be in contact with more than one layer of the folded disposable item. 
         [0044]    In step  345 , ultraviolet radiation is applied on the disposable item attached to the tag. Such ultraviolet radiation may be in an amount of about 50 mW/cm 2  or in a range of 50 mW/cm 2 -10 W/cm 2 . The ultraviolet radiation may be applied for a duration in a range of 0.5 to 2 seconds in order to cure the adhesive material on the disposable item. In other cases, the amount of ultraviolet radiation depends on the type of the adhesive material. The radiated ultraviolet radiation cures the adhesive material. 
         [0045]    In step  350 , one or more disposable items are packed into a package for delivery to a hospital or another entity using the disposable items. In step  355 , the number of tags in each package are counted to verify the number of disposable items in each package. 
         [0046]    While the disclosure has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosed subject matter not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but only by the claims that follow.