AdvantaPure announced May 17 that its Hose Track Process Equipment Identification and Lifecycle Analysis System has received U.S. Patent Number 7,195,149. Developed for hose assemblies used in pharmaceutical, food and beverage, biomedical, chemical, and other high-purity applications, Hose Track also works with other process equipment, including pumps, bio-bags, filters, diaphragm valves, UV lamps, tanks, and vessels.
Hose Track uses RFID technology and software to identify parts and monitor on-going, wear-related events, such as cleaning cycles, the number of batches processed, and other user-defined occurrences. It involves read/write RFID tags and readers to provide a solution for the critical job of process component maintenance and replacement.
Obtaining this patent was important, notes Ken Baker, CEO. Hose Track is unique in that it involves read/write RFID tags that are permanently attached to hoses and equipment. We wanted to protect the Hose Track system and having the patent does that.
Since its invention a few years ago, Hose Track has expanded to include a new gamma-radiation-resistant tag called GammaTag. Capable of withstanding gamma radiation sterilization, GammaTag is ideal for process components requiring this high level of purity. It also simplifies sterilization for single-use systems, which are becoming more and more popular due to their cost savings and reduced contamination risks. A single-use process system may be gamma radiation sterilized as a finished unit, complete with GammaTag.
Other U.S. and foreign patents involving Hose Track are pending.
