Medical Device with a Partially Transparent Housing

Abstract

A device is provided having a housing with a housing wall consisting of a non-transparent plastic with an outer surface and an inner surface; and an operating mode display unit with at least one light-emitting element which is/are located inside the housing, underneath the inner surface of the housing wall. The housing wall has at least one recess in the area of the light-emitting element and the light intensity of the at least one light-emitting element is adjusted in such a way that in its light-emitting mode, said at least one light-emitting element is only optically perceptible in a localizable manner through the housing wall in this area.

1 . A device, comprising: 
 a housing with a housing wall made of a non-translucent plastic which, in normal lighting, precludes optical perception of an underlying dark surface, the housing wall having a uniformly smooth outer surface without recesses, clearances, or apertures and an inner surface, and    a display unit with at least one light-emitting element which transmits radiation that lies in a range of 400-700 nm and which is located inside the housing, beneath the inner surface of the housing wall,    wherein the housing wall has at least one recess or a reduced wall thickness, but no apertures, in an area of the light-emitting element, and    wherein the light intensity of the at least one light-emitting element is adjusted in such a way that, in the emitting state, lighting other than said normal lighting is produced and the at least one light-emitting element is optically perceptible in a localizable manner through the housing wall only in the area of the light-emitting element.    
   
   
       2 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the housing wall thickness being less in the area of the recess by at least 50% in comparison with the remaining average housing wall thickness.  
   
   
       3 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the plastic being disinfectable.  
   
   
       4 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the plastic being chosen from polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBTP), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), polyamide (PA), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), PE, PP, PTFE and homopolymers and copolymers of these plastics, or comprises such plastics.  
   
   
       5 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the at least one light-emitting element being let into the at least one recess.  
   
   
       6 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , the device being chosen from a medical device, a mixing device or a charging device.  
   
   
       7 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , the plastic being disinfectable.  
   
   
       8 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , the plastic being chosen from polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBTP), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), polyamide (PA), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), PE, PP, PTFE and homopolymers and copolymers of these plastics, or comprises such plastics.  
   
   
       9 . The device as claimed in  claim 3 , the plastic being chosen from polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polybutylene terephthalate (PBTP), styrene acrylonitrile (SAN), polyamide (PA), polyoxymethylene (POM), polyphenylene oxide (PPO), PE, PP, PTFE and homopolymers and copolymers of these plastics, or comprises such plastics.  
   
   
       10 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , the at least one light-emitting element being let into the at least one recess.  
   
   
       11 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , the at least one light-emitting element being let into the at least one recess.  
   
   
       12 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , the housing having no apertures in the area of the light-emitting element.  
   
   
       13 . The device as claimed in  claim 3 , the housing having no apertures in the area of the light-emitting element.  
   
   
       14 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , the housing having no apertures in the area of the light-emitting element.  
   
   
       15 . The device as claimed in  claim 5 , the housing having no apertures in the area of the light-emitting element.  
   
   
       16 . The device as claimed in  claim 2 , the device being chosen from a medical device, a mixing device or a charging device.  
   
   
       17 . The device as claimed in  claim 3 , the device being chosen from a medical device, a mixing device or a charging device.  
   
   
       18 . The device as claimed in  claim 4 , the device being chosen from a medical device, a mixing device or a charging device.  
   
   
       19 . The device as claimed in  claim 5 , the device being chosen from a medical device, a mixing device or a charging device.  
   
   
       20 . Use of the device as claimed in  claim 6  for determining the presence, absence or nature of items.  
   
   
       21 . Use of items in conjunction with a device as claimed in  claim 6 , it being possible for the device to determine a presence, an absence or a nature of the items  
   
   
       22 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the light-emitting element has a radiant power of from 0.1 to 30 mW.  
   
   
       23 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing wall has the at least one recess, and wherein a thickness of the housing wall in the recess is in a range of 0.2 to 0.8 mm.  
   
   
       24 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the housing wall has the at least one recess, and wherein the recess is a circular recess in the form of a drilled hole.  
   
   
       25 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one light-emitting element is located in a range of from 0.5 to 2 mm from said inner surface.  
   
   
       26 . The device as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the display unit displays information on an operating state of the device.  
   
   
       27 . The device as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the information relates to any of batteries of a battery-operated device, light intensity given off by an illuminating device, an on-state, an operating mode, or error messages.