Abstract:
An identification tag for attaching to a tool to automatically identify the tool, including, a base with a small footprint for attaching to the tool on one end of the base, an identification attachment with a larger footprint that is attached to the tool by the base at a second end of the base. Wherein the identification attachment includes, an encasement that is connected to the second end of the base, an identification circuit that fits into the encasement, a cover to seal the encasement, and wherein the identification circuit accepts communication queries and transmits identification information related to the tool wirelessly from within the encasement.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to the attachment of identification tags to small objects and tools. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    There are many environments in which multiple tools and disposables are used, including for example operation rooms, aircraft hangars, garages, or the like. 
         [0003]    An operation room is a facility in which intrusive operations are performed on patients. Typically, multiple people participate in an operation, including a chief surgeon, sometimes an assistant surgeon, an anesthesiologist, a scrub nurse, and a circulating nurse. The participating personnel members use multiple tools, such as scalpels, forceps, and others, varying according to the surgery being performed. 
         [0004]    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. 
         [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    In addition, counting is not always error-free, and in many cases tools end up being left within the patient&#39;s body, causing severe damage and even death. 
         [0007]    Another problem relates to the life cycle of tools. For example, the tools used in an operation have to be sanitized or sterilized prior to further usage. Other constraints may relate to maintenance operations required for the tools, for example, a blade may have to be sharpened after every predetermined number of operations in which it is used. In another example, tools that have been used in an operation performed on a patient with a contagious disease may require extra sterilization before further usage, or the like. Making sure that each tool is used and maintained properly also imposes expenses and requires resources, including record keeping and tracking, manual labor and the like. 
         [0008]    It would be useful to use a computerized system for counting and keeping track of the tools and their maintenance. Such a system needs to uniquely identify each tool. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,193,938 to Halberthal et al dated Jun. 5, 2012 there is disclosed a system and method for keeping track of tools. Identifying tools is performed using a Radio Frequency (RF) identification transducer tag that is attached to the tools. 
         [0009]    Attaching such tags to tools imposes a number of challenges. The tag needs to adhere to the tool for the entire lifetime of the tool, the tag should not interfere with the use of the tool, the tag should be identifiable regardless of the orientation of the tool and even when surrounded by other tools of similar type. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0010]    An aspect of an embodiment of the disclosure relates to an identification tag for automatically identifying a tool. The identification tag includes a base with a small footprint for attaching the identification tag to the tool, and an identification attachment attached to the other end of the base, the identification attachment has a footprint that is larger than the footprint of the base. The identification attachment includes an identification circuit that accepts wireless communication queries and responds with identification information for identifying the tool. Optionally, the identification information may be a unique identifier or it may include details related to the tool, for example manufacture date, serial number or other information. 
         [0011]    There is thus provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, an identification tag for attaching to a tool to automatically identify the tool, comprising: 
         [0012]    a base with a small footprint for attaching to the tool on one end of the base; 
         [0013]    an identification attachment with a larger footprint that is attached to the tool by the base at a second end of the base; 
         [0014]    wherein said identification attachment comprises:
       an encasement that is connected to the second end of the base;   an identification circuit that fits into the encasement;   a cover to seal the encasement; and   wherein the identification circuit accepts communication queries and transmits identification information related to the tool wirelessly from within the encasement.       
 
         [0019]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the base and the tool are made from the same material family. Optionally, the base is attached to the tool by a laser welding process. Alternatively, the base is attached to the tool by an ultra-sonic process. 
         [0020]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the identification information is preprogrammed to include the manufacture date of the attached tool. Optionally, the cover is sealed by an ultra-sonic process. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the encasement is shaped like a cylindrical cup. Optionally, the size of the footprint of the identification attachment is at least double the size of the footprint of the base. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the second end of the base includes two arms extending from the base and forming an arc. Optionally, one side of the arms has jagged teeth. 
         [0021]    There is further provided according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, a method of forming an identification tag to identify a tool, comprising: 
         [0022]    attaching one end of a base with a small footprint to a selected position on the tool; 
         [0023]    coupling a second end of the base to an identification attachment; 
         [0024]    wherein said identification attachment comprises:
       an encasement that is connected to the second end of the base;   an identification circuit that fits into the encasement;   a cover to seal the encasement; and   wherein the identification circuit accepts communication queries and transmits identification information related to the tool wirelessly from within the encasement.       
 
         [0029]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the base is made from the same material family as the tool. Optionally, the base is attached to the tool by a laser welding process. Alternatively, the base is attached to the tool by an ultra-sonic process. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the cover is sealed by an ultra-sonic process. Optionally, the encasement is shaped like a cylindrical cup. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0030]    The present disclosure will be understood and better appreciated from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings. Identical structures, elements or parts, which appear in more than one figure, are generally labeled with the same or similar number in all the figures in which they appear, wherein: 
           [0031]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a tool with an identification tag, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of a base for attaching an identification attachment of an identification tag to a tool, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0033]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  are schematic illustrations of an encasement for holding an identification circuit of an identification tag, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a side view of an encasement for holding an identification circuit of an identification tag, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; 
           [0035]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C are schematic illustration of an identification circuit, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a cover for sealing an encasement of an identification tag, according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0037]      FIG. 1  is a schematic illustration of a tool  100  with an identification tag  110 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Identification tag  110  includes an identification attachment  120  that is connected to the tool  100  with a base  130  serving as an interface between the tool  100  and the identification attachment  120 . In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the base  130  has a small footprint relative to tool  100  and relative to identification attachment  120 , so that it can be attached to tool  100  even if only a small area is available for attaching base  130 . Optionally, the size of the footprint of base  130  may be 3 mm by 3 mm, 2 mm by 2 mm or less. In contrast identification attachment  120  may have a footprint of about 6 mm by 3 mm or more thus covering an area of more than twice the size of the footprint of base  130 . This enables use of larger identification attachments  120  with only a small attachment area on the tool  100 . Additionally, a small attachment area allows quicker attachment. In a typical implementation, the attachment area is between 1-2 mm by 1-2 mm and the size of identification attachment  120  is about 5-9 mm by 3-5 mm. 
         [0038]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, base  130  is made from the same or similar material as tool  100  or at least as the same material at the point of attachment on the tool, for example if the tool  100  is made from a metal the base  130  is also made from a metal (e.g. both from stainless steel, titanium etc.). Likewise if the tool is made from a polymer also the base may be made from a polymer. Optionally, this allows treating tool  100  with the identification attachment  120  in the same manner as before the attachment, for example sterilizing, heating and the like. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the same material may mean the same material family, for example both made from metal, both made from a polymer or both made from a similar metal although not identical. 
         [0039]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, metal tools and metal bases will be attached using a laser welding process, whereas polymer tools and polymer bases will be attached using an ultra-sonic process. Alternatively, other attachment processes may be used. 
         [0040]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, identification attachment  120  is an RFID tag that provides a unique identifier. Optionally, during use one or more antennas  140  are positioned in the vicinity of tools  100 . The antennas are capable of reading the unique identifiers by communicating ( 160 ) with identification attachments  120  and transmitting the identity of the identified tool to a computer  150 . Optionally, computer  150  keeps track of the identity of the identified tools  100 , the time of identifying, the location of the tools  100  (or identity of the antenna  140  that located the identification attachment  120 ). In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, based on the recorded information computer  150  can keep track of the tools as they are moved from one location to another. 
         [0041]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure,  FIGS. 2-6  illustrate a method of manufacturing and attaching identification tags  110  for use in tracking tools. 
         [0042]      FIG. 2  is a schematic illustration of base  130  for attaching identification tag  110  to a tool  100 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, base  130  includes a bottom  132 , which is essentially flat or slightly curved for coupling with tool  100 . Optionally, on the other end base  130  includes 2 arms  136  that extend outward forming an arc to hold base  130  in place once an encasement is formed around it as explained below. In some embodiments of the disclosure, at least one side of arms  136  are formed with jagged teeth  134  to enhance the grip of base  130  in the encasement. 
         [0043]      FIGS. 3A and 3B  (cross sectional view) are schematic illustrations of an encasement  300  for holding an identification circuit  500  ( FIG. 5 ) of identification attachment  120 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Optionally, encasement  300  is formed by an over mold process using a polymer material over base  130  forming a cylindrical cup like structure with base  130  serving as an interface to attach the encasement  300  to tool  100 . Optionally, encasement  300  serves to protect identification circuit  500 , which will be sealed inside the encasement. Alternatively, the encasement may be constructed mechanically to surround and/or grasp base  130 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 4  is a schematic illustration of a side view of encasement  300  for holding identification circuit  500  of identification attachment  120 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. As can be seen in  FIG. 4  the over mold process produces a cup like structure with a cylindrical void for inserting identification circuit  500 . 
         [0045]      FIGS. 5A ,  5 B and  5 C are schematic illustrations of identification circuit  500  from 3 orthogonal perspectives (A, B, C), according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Optionally, identification circuit  500  is an RFID circuit that returns a unique identification value when queried by an antenna  140  (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments of the disclosure, identification circuit may also store information about the tool it is attached to, for example a count value related to the number of times the tool underwent a specific process (e.g. sterilization). Alternatively, computer  150  may keep track of such information based on the unique ID value. In some embodiments of the disclosure, the unique ID may include an owner ID, a serial no, product number, manufacturing date, batch number, manufacturing location and other information either of the identification circuit or of the tool  100  that it is attached to. Optionally, the chip may be pre-programmed with the information from computer  150  when attached to the tool or may be manufactured to be attached when the tool is manufactured. In  FIG. 5  orientation C shows a side view of the identification circuit  500 , orientation B shows a top view and orientation A shows a bottom view. 
         [0046]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, identification circuit  500  includes a ferrite core  550  with a coil  510  wrapped around it to send and receive electromagnetic signals. Optionally, ferrite core  550  is cylindrical to enhance reception in multiple directions. In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, identification circuit  500  includes a chip  520  with contacts  530 . As shown in  FIG. 5  (C) the coil is connected to contacts  530  so that the chip  520  may communicate. In some embodiments of the disclosure, identification circuit  560  may include a battery  560  to transmit with a strong signal, although identification circuit  500  may rely on the received signals for the power to respond. 
         [0047]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, identification circuit  500  is inserted into the cylindrical void shown in  FIG. 4  so that it will be protected by encasement  300 .  FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of a cover  600  for sealing encasement  300 , according to an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure. Optionally, cover  600  is placed over encasement  300  and sealed by an ultra-sonic process, by heating or by mechanical means. Once encasement  300  is sealed identification circuit  500  is protected from moisture, gases (oxidation) and other external influences, so that identification circuit  500  will be able to serve for the entire life of tool  100 . Optionally, identification attachment  120  is compatible with sterilization processes such as steam, ETO (Ethylene Oxide), No2 (Nitrogen Dioxide), Plasma (Hydrogen Peroxide). Additionally, identification attachment  120  does not interfere with the functionality of the tool  100 . 
         [0048]    In an exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, multiple identification attachments  120  may be identified simultaneously. Additionally, in contrast to flat RFID tags identification attachment  120  is identifiable almost in any direction and less subject to interference by other identification attachments  120  blocking reception of transmissions from antennas  140 . 
         [0049]    It should be appreciated that the above described methods and apparatus may be varied in many ways, including omitting or adding steps, changing the order of steps and the type of devices used. It should be appreciated that different features may be combined in different ways. In particular, not all the features shown above in a particular embodiment are necessary in every embodiment of the disclosure. Further combinations of the above features are also considered to be within the scope of some embodiments of the disclosure. It will also be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.