Method for battery surgical sterilization while charging
A method for simultaneously surgically sterilizing and charging a battery, which comprises providing an inductively powered battery charger inside a selectively sealable surgical sterilization enclosure of a surgical sterilization device. The surgical sterilization device is operable to surgically sterilize at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument placed therewithin. The charger has an inductive power receiver sub-assembly operable to receive power inductively and to supply charging power to the at least one rechargeable battery. The at least one rechargeable battery is electrically charged while being surgically sterilized by supplying power inductively from a power supply positioned outside the surgical sterilization enclosure to the inductive power receiver sub-assembly through the surgical sterilization enclosure.
1. A method for surgically sterilizing and charging a battery, which comprises:
providing an inductively powered battery charger inside a selectively sealable surgical sterilization enclosure of a surgical sterilization device operable to surgically sterilize at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument placed therewithin, the charger having an inductive power receiver sub-assembly operable to receive power inductively and to supply charging power to the at least one rechargeable battery; and
electrically charging the at least one rechargeable battery while the at least one rechargeable battery is being surgically sterilized by supplying power inductively from a power supply outside the surgical sterilization enclosure to the inductive power receiver sub-assembly through the surgical sterilization enclosure.
2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the electrical charging step by electrically charging the at least one rechargeable battery while surgically sterilizing the at least one rechargeable battery.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the power supply has:
an inductive power supply sub-assembly; and
an electric mains supply electrically conductively connected to the inductive power supply sub-assembly and operable to receive power from an electric mains; and
the inductive power supply sub-assembly and the power receiver sub-assembly together form an inductive charging assembly.
4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein the inductive charging assembly is comprised of:
a first magnetic inductive coil disposed outside the surgical sterilization enclosure and having a primary winding electrically coupled to the electric mains supply; and
a second magnetic inductive coil disposed within the surgical sterilization enclosure and having a secondary winding electrically coupled to the charger.
5. The method according to claim 4 , which further comprises:
substantially aligning the first magnetic inductive coil with the second magnetic inductive coil; and
supplying power from the electric mains supply to the first magnetic inductive coil to induce an electrical current in the second magnetic inductive coil.
6. The method according to claim 5 , which further comprises carrying out the alignment step by disposing the first magnetic inductive coil on the outside of the enclosure and the second magnetic inductive coil within the enclosure.
7. The method according to claim 5 , which further comprises carrying out the alignment step by substantially aligning the first and second magnetic inductive coils using an alignment component on either side of the surgical sterilization enclosure.
8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the alignment component is comprised of at least one first magnet of the first magnetic inductive coil and at least one second magnet of the second magnetic inductive coil, the first and second magnets having magnetically opposite poles.
9. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises carrying out the electrical charging step without breaching the surgical sterilization enclosure.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the surgical sterilization enclosure is comprised of a material that permits transmission of electromagnetic waves therethrough.
11. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises sterilizing the at least one rechargeable battery using at least one of:
temperature of at least 100 degrees Celsius;
a chemical agent; and
radiation.
12. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises forming a microbial seal around the at least one rechargeable battery by enclosing the at least one rechargeable battery in a sealed container operable to permit charging of the rechargeable battery while enclosed therein.
13. A method for surgically sterilizing and charging a battery, which comprises:
providing an inductively powered battery-charging platform inside a selectively sealable surgical sterilization enclosure of a surgical sterilization device operable to surgically sterilize at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument placed therewithin, the inductively powered battery-charging platform having:
a battery charger; and
an inductive power receiver sub-assembly that is electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery charger;
providing a power supply outside the surgical sterilization enclosure;
supplying power inductively from the power supply to the inductive power receiver sub-assembly through the surgical sterilization enclosure;
placing the at least one rechargeable battery in conductive contact with the charger; and
electrically charging the at least one rechargeable battery while the at least one rechargeable battery is being surgically sterilized.
14. The method according to claim 13 :
wherein:
the at least one rechargeable battery has at least one electrical battery contact;
the charger comprises at least one electrical contact shaped to conductively contact the at least one electrical battery contact; and
the inductive power receiver sub-assembly is electrically coupled to the at least one electrical contact of the charger; and
which further comprises carrying out the placing step by placing the at least one electrical battery contact in conductive contact with the electrical contact of the charger.
15. The method according to claim 13 , which further comprises:
providing a power supply with:
an inductive power supply sub-assembly; and
an electric mains supply electrically conductively connected to the inductive power supply sub-assembly and operable to receive power from an electric mains; and
carrying out the inductive power supplying step by supplying power inductively from the power supply sub-assembly to the power receiver sub-assembly through the surgical sterilization enclosure.
16. The method according to claim 13 , which further comprises carrying out the electrical charging step by electrically charging the at least one rechargeable battery while surgically sterilizing the at least one rechargeable battery.
17. The method according to claim 13 , which further comprises carrying out the electrical charging step after sealing the at least one rechargeable battery within the surgical sterilization enclosure.
18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the inductive power supply sub-assembly and the power receiver sub-assembly together form an inductive charging assembly comprised of:
a first magnetic inductive coil disposed outside the surgical sterilization enclosure and having a primary winding electrically coupled to the electric mains supply; and
a second magnetic inductive coil disposed within the surgical sterilization enclosure and having a secondary winding electrically coupled to the charger.
19. The method according to claim 18 , which further comprises:
substantially aligning the first magnetic inductive coil adjacent with the second magnetic inductive coil; and
supplying power from the electric mains supply to the first magnetic inductive coil to induce an electrical current in the second magnetic inductive coil.
20. The method according to claim 19 , which further comprises:
substantially aligning the first and second magnetic inductive coils using an alignment component on either side of the surgical sterilization enclosure.
21. The method according to claim 13 , which further comprises carrying out the electric charging step without breaching the surgical sterilization enclosure.
22. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the surgical sterilization enclosure is comprised of a material that permits transmission of electromagnetic waves therethrough.
23. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the surgical sterilization device is operable to sterilize the at least one rechargeable battery using at least one of:
temperature of at least 100 degrees Celsius;
a chemical agent; and
radiation.
24. The method according to claim 13 , which further comprises forming a microbial seal around the at least one rechargeable battery by enclosing the at least one rechargeable battery in a sealed container operable to permit charging of the rechargeable battery while enclosed therein.
25. A method for surgically sterilizing and charging a battery, which comprises:
providing an inductively powered battery-charging platform inside a selectively sealable surgical sterilization enclosure of a surgical sterilization device operable to surgically sterilize at least one rechargeable battery of a battery-operated surgical instrument placed therewithin, the inductively powered battery-charging platform having:
a battery charger; and
an inductive power receiver sub-assembly that is electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery charger;
providing a power supply outside the surgical sterilization enclosure, the power supply comprising:
an inductive power supply sub-assembly; and
an electric mains supply electrically conductively connected to the inductive power supply sub-assembly and operable to receive power from an electric mains;
supplying power inductively from the power supply to the inductive power receiver sub-assembly through the surgical sterilization enclosure;
placing the at least one rechargeable battery in conductive contact with the charger; and
electrically charging the at least one rechargeable battery while the at least one rechargeable battery is being surgically sterilized.